A monokaryotic mycelium sheet producing system for creating a sheet of monokaryotic mycelial material. The mycelium sheet producing system includes a culture unit, a spore stock unit, a plating unit, a section unit, a sub-plating unit, an expanding unit and a colonization unit. The culture unit prepares a monokaryon culture. The spore stock unit grows a plurality of fruit bodies in sterile laboratory conditions to create a spore stock. The plating unit performs a peroxide-based spore rescue and a plating process. The section unit is adaptable to section robust hyphae. The sub-plating unit sub-plates and expands the robust hyphae onto a spawn grain master. The expanding unit subsequently expands the spawn grain master into appropriate production of spawn volume. The colonization unit is adaptable to perform a subsequent colonization of mycelium substrate thereby creating a substantially defect free sheet of mycelium.

A monokaryotic mycelium sheet producing system for creating a sheet of monokaryotic mycelial material. The mycelium sheet producing system includes a culture unit, a spore stock unit, a plating unit, a section unit, a sub-plating unit, an expanding unit and a colonization unit. The culture unit prepares a monokaryon culture. The spore stock unit grows a plurality of fruit bodies in sterile laboratory conditions to create a spore stock. The plating unit performs a peroxide-based spore rescue and a plating process. The section unit is adaptable to section robust hyphae. The sub-plating unit sub-plates and expands the robust hyphae onto a spawn grain master. The expanding unit subsequently expands the spawn grain master into appropriate production of spawn volume. The colonization unit is adaptable to perform a subsequent colonization of mycelium substrate thereby creating a substantially defect free sheet of mycelium.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

A mycelium growth bed for optimal production of pure mycelium or a pure mycelium composite with controlled or predictable properties, the bed comprising a tray, a conveying platform, a permeable membrane, a substrate, and a porous material. The permeable membrane is positioned on the conveying platform within the tray. The substrate is positioned on the permeable membrane and the porous material is positioned on top of the substrate. The system provides a configuration wherein the CO.sub.2 concentration is held above 3%, the relative humidity is held above 40% and the O.sub.2 concentration is held below 20% in steady state conditions to produce leather-like mycelium without fruiting bodies.

A mycelium growth bed for optimal production of pure mycelium or a pure mycelium composite with controlled or predictable properties, the bed comprising a tray, a conveying platform, a permeable membrane, a substrate, and a porous material. The permeable membrane is positioned on the conveying platform within the tray. The substrate is positioned on the permeable membrane and the porous material is positioned on top of the substrate. The system provides a configuration wherein the CO.sub.2 concentration is held above 3%, the relative humidity is held above 40% and the O.sub.2 concentration is held below 20% in steady state conditions to produce leather-like mycelium without fruiting bodies.

Device for delivering at least a layer of compost and casing soil to a shelving for growing mushrooms, comprising a first conveyor, on which in a downstream direction are arranged a first hopper with a receiving opening for receiving compost and a dispensing opening for delivering a compost layer on the first conveyor and a second hopper with a receiving opening for receiving casing soil and a dispensing opening for delivering casing soil on the compost layer wherein at least one separator for separating in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction at least two fractions of the layer of compost with casing soil.

Device for delivering at least a layer of compost and casing soil to a shelving for growing mushrooms, comprising a first conveyor, on which in a downstream direction are arranged a first hopper with a receiving opening for receiving compost and a dispensing opening for delivering a compost layer on the first conveyor and a second hopper with a receiving opening for receiving casing soil and a dispensing opening for delivering casing soil on the compost layer wherein at least one separator for separating in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction at least two fractions of the layer of compost with casing soil.

The present invention relates to a system for growing mushrooms, comprising a shelving, comprising multiple support beds for holding compost and casing soil arranged above each other, a picking platform for harvesters, the platform movable with at least a vertical directional component along the shelving and a harvesting conveyor, comprising a harvesting conveyor belt that extends at least partially along the beds and is supported by a number of guides, along which the harvesting conveyor is movable, wherein at least one of the guides is coupled to the shelving; and at least one of the guides is coupled to the picking platform and is movable together with the platform with at least a vertical directional component.

The present invention relates to a system for growing mushrooms, comprising a shelving, comprising multiple support beds for holding compost and casing soil arranged above each other, a picking platform for harvesters, the platform movable with at least a vertical directional component along the shelving and a harvesting conveyor, comprising a harvesting conveyor belt that extends at least partially along the beds and is supported by a number of guides, along which the harvesting conveyor is movable, wherein at least one of the guides is coupled to the shelving; and at least one of the guides is coupled to the picking platform and is movable together with the platform with at least a vertical directional component.