Pinhead Initiation

Mycelium fails to form pri- Monokaryotic strain with low Start again with new tissue 

Primordia form early. Uneven casing depth. Apply casing at an even depth and patch areas where mycelium appears prematurely- Incubate culture in darkness until ready to pin. 

Primordia formation uneven. Uneven casing depth. Patch shallow areas as mycelium appears until grov4h is even. 

Pinheads fail to form abun- Casing layer moisture too low Adjust moisture level in 

Pinheads form but fail to ma- Insufficient nutrient base. Review substrate materials 

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Many cultivated mushrooms require light for pinhead initiation and proper development of the fruitbody. In fact, such phototropic mushrooms actually twist and turn towards a light source, especially if it is dim and distant in an otherwise darkened room. Consequently, it is important to equip... 

Overlay Is a dense mycelial growth that covers the casing surface and shows little or no inclination to form pinheads. Overlay directly results from a dry casing, high levels of CO2 and/or low humidity. (See Chapter IX on pinhead initiation). 

CHAPTER IX STRATEGIES FOR MUSHROOM FORMATION (PINHEAD INITIATION)... 

Pinhead initiation techniques should begin when the mycelium reaches the valleys of the casing surface. Once the mycelium is clearly established in the valleys, the cultivator can begin the first steps leading to the setting of pinheads. Within this one to two day period, the... 

During the primordia formation period, pinheads for the first and second flush are being generated. The second flush primordia are present as thickened mycelial knots which develop afterthe first flush is harvested. Once the first flush is offthe beds, the second set of primordia begin to enlarge and within days attain button size. Because 60-75% of the total yield is normally harvested from the first two flushes, the few days of pinhead initiation are the most critical in the growing of mushrooms. Hence, all environmental factors must be carefully monitored to insure the best possible pin-set. 

This mushroom, like its close cousin P. ostreatus, is perfect for the home cultivator. But, the Floridan Pieurotus ostreatus has a distinct advantage over P. ostreatus in That a "cold shock" is not needed for pinhead formation and the period from initiation to first flush is only 10 days compared to 20 days for P. ostreatus. Its ability to fruit on a singular substrate, to permeate the straw rapidly while tolerating high CO2 levels and to produce abundant crops within a short Time frame, makes Pieurotus an excellent species for small scale cultivation. 

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