METHOD FOR CULTIVATING EDIBLE FUNGI

Abstract

Method for cultivating edible fungi on a commercial site, in which a cultivation takes place according to a cultivation cycle which successively comprises one or more preparatory phases and one or more harvesting phases, and in which the site comprises at least a set of cultivation cells (4), in which this set (4) comprises a first cultivation cell (1), a second cultivation cell (2) and a third GO cultivation cell (3) and the cultivation cycle is distributed over these at least three cultivation cells (1, 2, 3) by moving the cultivation from the first cultivation cell (1), in which at least one preparatory phase takes place, to the second cultivation cell (2), in which at least one harvesting phase takes place in the second cultivation cell, and then to the third cultivation cell (3), in which at least one harvesting phase takes place.

Claims

1. Method for cultivating edible fungi, such as mushrooms, on a commercial site, in which the site comprises at least a set of cultivation cells, this set of cultivation cells comprising a first cultivation cell, second cultivation cell, and a third cultivation cell, the method comprising: distributing a cultivation cycle successively comprising one or more preparatory phases and two or more harvesting phases over the first, second, and third cultivation cells by: conducting at least a first of the preparatory phases in the first cultivation cell; moving cultivation from the first cultivation cell to the second cultivation cell; conducting at least a first of the harvesting phases in the second cultivation cell; moving the cultivation from the second cultivation cell to the third cultivation cell; and conducting at least one of the harvesting phases in the third cultivation cell.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cultivation takes place on a substrate and the substrate is moved along when the cultivation is moved between two said cultivation cells.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that each said cultivation cell comprises beds and the substrate is arranged in the beds.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that in one or more of the cultivation cells, two or more layers of beds are arranged on top of one another.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that, in the first cultivation cell, several layers of beds are placed one above the other and, in the second cultivation cell, the beds are placed in only one layer.

6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that, in the third cultivation cell, several layers of beds are arranged one above the other.

7. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that mats are used for the cultivation and the substrate is arranged on these mats.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that when moving the cultivation between two said cultivation cells, the mats and the substrate are moved together.

9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that each cultivation cell comprises one or more mats, and wherein when the substrate is moved between a said cultivation cell and another said cultivation cell, the substrate which is situated on the mats of the former cultivation cell is placed on the mats of the other cultivation cell.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least three cultivation cells of the said set of cultivation cells are virtually in line with one another, in order to thus optimize the displacement of the cultivation between these said three cultivation cells.

11. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of time which the cultivation spends in the first cultivation cell virtually corresponds to the amount of time which the cultivation spends in the second cultivation cell.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that said amount of time is virtually 2 weeks.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that after a said cultivation has been moved from one cultivation cell to the other cultivation cell, the one cultivation cell is filled again with a cultivation which is in an earlier phase of the cultivation cycle.

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that up to 26 cultivations per year are possible for every said set of cultivation cells.

15. Method according to claim 1 any of the preceding claims, characterized in that every cultivation is distributed over only 3 cultivation cells, in which one or more preparatory phases take place in the first cultivation cell, at least one harvesting phase takes place in the second cultivation cell and at least one harvesting phase takes place in the third cultivation cell.

16. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a commercial site comprises several said sets of cultivation cells, so that several cultivations which are in the same phase of the cultivation cycle can take place simultaneously.

17. Method according to claim 1 any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fungi are picked by machine, at least during the a last harvesting phase.

18. Method according to claim 1 any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fungi are picked by machine during the one or more harvesting phases taking place in the third cultivation cell.

19. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fungi are picked by hand during the one or more harvesting phases taking place in the second cultivation cell.

20. Commercial site for cultivating fungi, such as mushrooms, in which this site comprises at least a set of cultivation cells, in which this set comprises a first, a second and a third cultivation cell, and in which these cultivation cells are configured to allow a method according to claim 1 take place.

21. Commercial site according to claim 20, characterized in that the first cultivation cell comprises a device for controlling the climate, so that the climate of the first cultivation cell is adjustable to the at least one preparatory phase which takes place therein.

22. Commercial site according to claim 20, characterized in that the base surface area of the second cultivation cell is greater than the base surface area of the first cultivation cell.

23. Commercial site according to claim 20, characterized in that the base surface area of the second cultivation cell is greater than the base surface area of the third cultivation cell.

24. Commercial site according to claim 20, characterized in that the said three cultivation cells are in line with one another.

25. Commercial site according to claim 20, characterized in that the commercial site comprises several said sets of cultivation cells, so that several cultivations which are in the same phase of the cultivation cycle can take place simultaneously on the commercial site.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The present invention will now be explained in more detail by means of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a method and commercial site according to the present invention. The sole aim of this description is to give illustrative examples and to indicate further advantages and particulars, and it can therefore by no means be interpreted as a limitation of the area of application of the invention or of the patent rights defined in the claims.

[0044] Reference numerals are used in this detailed description to refer to the attached drawings, in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a cross section through the commercial site at the location of one set of cultivation cells;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic representation of a top view of the commercial site at the location of one set of cultivation cells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The commercial site is a site on which mushrooms are cultivated. To this end, the commercial site comprises several sets of cultivation cells (4). Each set of cultivation cells (4) comprises a first cultivation cell (1), a second cultivation cell (2) and a third cultivation cell (3). The base surface area of the second cultivation cell (2) is virtually twice as large as the base surface area of the first cultivation cell (1). The base surface area of the first cultivation cell (1) is virtually equal in size to the base surface area of the third cultivation cell (3). Below, one set of cultivation cells (4) is discussed and this set (4) is shown diagrammatically in the figures. Each set of cultivation cells (4) is of similar construction.

[0048] The commercial site is provided with a climate device, with means of this climate device being present in the first cultivation cell (1). As a result thereof, the climate of the first cultivation cell (1), i.e. the temperature, the humidity, etc., is accurately controllable. In the second cultivation cell (2), one or more machines are present for transporting hand-picked mushrooms and for cutting off the bases of picked mushrooms. As a result thereof, the pickers of the mushrooms do not have to cut off the bases by hand, resulting in quick picking. The third cultivation cell (3) is a simple space in which a mechanical picking device is present.

[0049] Furthermore, beds (5) are present in every cultivation cell (1, 2, 3). In the first cultivation cell (1), these beds (5) are stacked in four layers, in the second cultivation cell (2) the beds (5) are stacked in two layers and in the third cultivation cell (3) the beds (5) are stacked in four layers. The total bottom surface of the beds (5), on which substrate is arrangeable, is virtually identical in every cultivation cell (1, 2, 3).

[0050] Therefore, the amount of substrate which can be applied in every cultivation cell (1, 2, 3) is identical (see below). Mats are also present in every cultivation cell (1, 2, 3), so that substrate cultivation on mats can take place.

[0051] On this commercial site, mushrooms are grown according to the method described below.

[0052] Cultivation takes place according to a cultivation cycle comprising the following successive steps: a mycelium phase, a budding phase, a first harvesting phase (flush), a second harvesting phase, a third harvesting phase and a fourth harvesting phase.

[0053] The first step is the mycelium phase and starts with a colonized substrate and casing soil. Here, the colonized substrate is compost which has been colonized with mushroom mycelium. This colonized substrate is preferably supplied to the commercial site. In an alternative embodiment, this colonized substrate may be produced on the commercial site. The casing soil is also supplied to the site.

[0054] At the start of the cultivation cycle, the substrate and the casing soil are arranged in the beds (5) of the first cultivation cell (1) by applying the substrate and the casing soil on the mats of the first cultivation cell (1) and pulling these mats in the beds (5). The substrate and the casing soil are arranged on the mats in such a way that a layer of casing soil is situated on top of a layer of substrate. When applying the substrate and the casing soil on the mats, the mats are unrolled and introduced in the beds (5). After this substrate and the casing soil have been arranged in the beds (5), the first cultivation cell (1) is closed and the mycelium phase can start. The climate in the first cultivation cell (1) is controlled in such a way that it is optimal during the entire mycelium phase.

[0055] During the mycelium phase, the mycelium grows from the substrate through the casing soil, after which buds are formed. This is then the budding phase. These two said phases together last for approximately 14 days and during these days, the climate is controlled and adjusted in an optimum way by means of the climate device.

[0056] After these approximately 14 days, the cultivation is taken from the first cultivation cell (1) to the second cultivation cell (2). This is achieved by rolling up the mats of the first cultivation cell (1) and transferring the substrate layer with the layer of casing soil to the mats of the second cultivation cell (2) during the rolling up, by unrolling the mats of the second cultivation cell (2). In order to optimize the transfer of the cultivation between these said cultivation cells (1, 2), use is made of a pulling device. In this case, transfer takes place from four-layered beds (5) to two-layered beds (5). There is an intermediate space (6) between the first cultivation cell (1) and the second cultivation cell (2), so that the displacement of the cultivation between these said cultivation cells (1, 2) can proceed quickly. During displacement of the cultivation, the pulling device is then substantially arranged in this intermediate space (6).

[0057] After the cultivation has been arranged on the mats of the second cultivation cell (2) and thus sits in the beds (5) of the second cultivation cell (2), the first harvesting phase or first flush starts. During this first flush, which lasts approximately 1 week, manual picking is initially carried out for 3 to 6 days and the picked mushrooms are placed in a said machine of the second cultivation cell (2). The first flush is immediately followed by the second flush, which lasts approximately 1 week and during which manual picking is initially carried out for 2 to 5 days. These mushrooms are also introduced in a said machine of the second cultivation cell (2) in order to transport these picked mushrooms and cut off their bases. After the second flush, the cultivation is transferred to the third cultivation cell (3). The cultivation thus also stays in the second cultivation cell (2) for approximately 14 days.

[0058] The transfer of the cultivation from the second cultivation cell (2) to the third cultivation cell (3) proceeds in a similar way to the transfer of the cultivation from the first cultivation cell (1) to the second cultivation cell (2), except for the fact that with the transfer from the second cultivation cell (2) to the third cultivation cell (3), there is a transition from two-layered beds (5) to four-layered beds (5).

[0059] In the third cultivation cell (3), another two harvesting phases may possibly take place. Harvesting during these two harvesting phases is performed here in a mechanical way by means of a mechanical picking device. This picking device comprises a blade which is configured to pass across the beds (5) and thus to cut off the mushrooms.

[0060] After a cultivation has been removed from a said cultivation cell (1, 2, 3), said cultivation cell (1, 2, 3) is filled virtually immediately with a cultivation which is in an earlier phase of the cultivation cycle. In between two cultivations, the cultivation cell (1, 2, 3) may optionally be cleaned a little. Since every cultivation only spends approximately 14 days in one cultivation cell (1, 2, 3), little cleaning is required due to the fact that few diseases, if any, develop during these 14 days.

[0061] Here, the rotation between the cultivation cells (1, 2, 3) is optimal, as a result of which it is possible to execute up to 26 cultivations per year per set of cultivation cells (4). As there are 3 to 4 harvesting phases, the potential of the substrate is used to an optimum extent and a significantly higher yield per cultivation is achieved compared to the existing methods, and without many additional costs.