Pontenciencia participants cultivate the science of mushrooms

One more year, Hifas da Terra, through its foundation, participated in the celebration of Pontenciencia 2019, one of the scientific dissemination initiatives in the most relevant Galician educational field of the year. In this new edition, in addition to sponsoring the 2019 Homenaxe á Muller Investigadora research awards, we invite participating educational centers to join the workshop Cultivate the science of mushrooms that we program in the VI Science Fair to show children what a fungus is and how it reproduces.

The participants discovered firsthand the biological cycle of fungi, from the zero minute, when it is formed as a living being, until it reaches our homes in the form of food: all this without forgetting fundamental phases of the process such as the growth of mycelium and incubation.

Pontenciencia workshop: Grow the science of mushrooms

The Young researchers of the CEIP SAN BENITO DE LÉREZ They elaborated an Oyster mushroom grow bag from the mycelium in grain and substrate in pellets; All this while listening to some of the most surprising curiosities of The Fungi Kingdom. Among these, the one that most caught his attention refers to the greatest living being in the world, A fungus of the Armillaria family whose dimensions are equivalent to 1665 football fields.

The biggest living being in the world is A fungus of the Armillaria family and its dimensions equals 1665 football fields

After the production phase that was carried out in the workshop, these are the recommendations that participants must follow to get the grow bag to produce mushrooms:

Incubation process

The grow bag must incubate at least 15 days until the bag is dyed white. This indicates that the mycelium has completely colonized the substrate. For this phase you have to:

• Choose a shady, humid place, never near garages, roads or areas where cars pass
• Maintain a temperature between 18 ºC and 22 ºC

Fruiting and primordia

The primordia (very small mushrooms) will begin to appear approximately a month or a month and a half after its elaboration. These are white, although sometimes they are also gray. As soon as they are visible, it is recommended to make cuts in the form of a smile just below where they grow. The first two flushes are the most important and approximately, approximately, every 15 days. In general, each grow bag can produce 4 or 5 flushes. These are the best conditions for fruiting:

• Temperature between 20 ºC and 23 ºC
• Relative optimal humidity: 90-95%. It is recommended to spray the grow bag with a spray to maintain this degree of moisture.

Harvest

The time of collection is marked by the size of the hat and the shape of its edges. Mushrooms should be collected when they have an optimal size and before the edges cease to be curved inwards. If we observe that the mushrooms seem dry during the growth phase, it is recommended to spray water without creating deposits (drops) on top of them.

The next step would be the kitchen. Bon appétit!

Science in school

One of the research projects presented by the students of this center (oxidation and deoxidation) received the María Barbeito Cerviño Award. In total, 47 projects participated in the 2019 Edition of 2019, including 19 Primary Students, 8 family science and 20 high school students.

Collaborators

In this edition, more than 20 teachers and researchers from the University of Vigo, Biological Mission of Galicia, Unit of Scientific Culture of the CSIC and the Oceanographic Center of Vigo also participated. Other entities also joined the knowledge program by offering workshops and talks, including CIFP Carlos Oroza, Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, CEO Foundation, Science and Culture and Area of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Vigo, Escola de Forestal Enxeñería da Uvigo, etc.