INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCTION OF MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE

An important characteristic of the mushroom cultivation is the "activity" of substrate.
The correlations were determined between climate factors and CO₂ production per phase of seven crops.
The CO₂ production was used as a measure for substrate activity.
During the vegetative phases high correlations were found between compost temperature, vapour pressure and CO₂ pressure in the compost and average CO₂ production per phase.
In all vegetative phases, average temperature, CO₂ pressure and vapour pressure differences between compost and growing room air were highly correlated with the CO₂ production.
This correlation was also found for differences in vapour pressure during the second and third flush and for CO₂ pressure differences between compost and growing room air during the first flush.
At equal average temperature, vapour pressure and CO₂ pressure in compost, the average CO₂ production per phase during the flushes were higher then during the vegetative phases.
This might be caused by a larger exchange area due to an increase in the number and size of fruit bodies.
Climate factors which were highly correlated with the CO₂ production can be used to control crops on the basis of the CO₂ production.

International Symposium on Composting & Use of Composted Material in Horticulture

H. Loeffen, J.C. Bakker

mushroom, carbon dioxide, compost, substrate

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.469.47