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Mushrooms, treatments against pests and diseases
Many saprophytic fungi, viruses, and bacteria can cause damage to cultivated mushrooms, against which it’s important to apply the right treatments.
The main diseases of the mushroom crop
Verticillium dry bubble (Verticillium fungicola)
It appears during the harvest, especially after the first harvest. Factors favoring the emergence of the pathogen are unfiltered air in the growing room and undisinfected cover mix. Brown patches appear on the surface of the palms, which later on increase. The foot cracks and exfoliates and the mushroom dries out. When the mushrooms ripeness and have been infected, gray-brown spots appear on the cap. These spots may appear on the surface as a mold if the humidity is high.
Prevention and control measures:
- thermal disinfection of the coating mixture.
- removing infected mushrooms before harvesting or irrigation;
- specific treatments with fungicides;
Wet bubble disease (Mycogone perniciosa)
It appears in the early stages, representing an undefined mass covered with white, fluffy mycelium. As it develops this mass turns brown and begins to rot.
At high humidity, small brown droplets of liquid appear on the mushroom’s surface, which begins to rot and release an unpleasant smell.
Prevention and control measures:
- thermal disinfection of the coating mixture.
- specific mushrooms fungicide treatments.
Green mold (Trichoderma spp.)
It frequently appears after coating with substrate and during harvest. The substrate with high humidity, unfiltered air in the growing room, and fungal debris are factors that favor pathogen emergence.
The appearance of whitish mycelial spots, which later turn green on the surface of wooden shelves and containers, are the main symptoms of disease outbreaks.
Prevention and control measures:
- thermal disinfection of the coating mixture.
Inky cap (Coprinus sp.)
They appear before and after seeding, and in case of a strong attack they may appear after seeding. Green and wet substrates, incomplete pasteurization, high substrate depth, and frozen compost or ammonia content above 0.05% are factors that favor the fungus’s appearance.
Characteristic symptoms are the appearance of mushrooms with elongated stems and small caps. The mycelium invades the entire substrate inhibiting the mycelial growth of the cultivated fungus.
Prevention and control measures:
- gathering and removing mushrooms that have appeared.
Bacterial blotch of mushrooms (Pseudomonas tolaasii)
In high humidity conditions, yellowish-brown spots appear on the mushroom’s cap, which over time become mucilaginous, with a chocolate-brown color, and sticky to the touch.
In severe infestations, the spots spread over the entire surface of the mushroom, they become deformed and emanate a foul smell.
Prevention and control measures:
- avoiding temperature fluctuations and ensuring better air ventilation;
- treatments with specific fungicides;
The main pest of mushroom crops
Mushrooms flies
They appear before and after entering the harvest phase. For control, periodic sprays with specific insecticides should be carried out immediately after covering the substrate and until buds form on the seedbed surface at 5-6 day intervals.
