Diseases of mushrooms

Diseases of mushrooms

Fungal diseases.
Even though the mushroom itself is a fungus, it can in turn be affected by a range of fungal pathogens, listed below in Table 1.

Table 1. Fungal diseases of mushrooms

Disease	Other names	Symptoms
Dactylium	Cobweb, mildew	White to pink cobweb-like fluffy mould.
Diehlomyces	Calves brains / false truffle	A competing fungus which produces brain-shaped fruiting bodies.
Fusarium	Damping off	Mushrooms wither.
Mycogone	Wet bubble / white mould	Dense white growth on gills.
Papulaspora	Brown plaster mould	Brown plaster-like patches on casing.
Scopulariopsis	White plaster mould	White plaster-like patches on casing.
Trichoderma	Green mould	Dark green mould patches on casing spreading to lesions on stems.
Verticillium	Dry bubble / brown spot	Brown irregular pitted areas on stems and caps. Distortion and splitting.

Bacterial diseases

Pseudomonas (bacterial spot, bacterial or pit or brown blotch), causes yellow to brown blotches on the cap which may exude sticky residues. Early symptoms are similar to verticilium.

Other diseases

A range of viral diseases attack mushrooms. Fruiting bodies that are either noticeably elongated or flattened, or gradually decreasing crops or flushes should be examined. If viral diseases are suspected, professional advice on eradication should be sought.

Management
Maintaining high levels of hygiene will assist any pest management program by reducing the number of problems that are likely to occur. If an outbreak does occur, ensure that the pest or disease is correctly identified before taking any action.

Diseases of mushrooms

Mushroom-Pests and diseases

Pests and diseases

Mushrooms are the edible fleshy fruiting bodies of certain fungi, which may be gathered wild or grown under cultivation. The most commonly cultivated mushroom species is Agaricus bisporus, although many other species are now gaining recognition in Australia due to the widespread consumption of Asian cuisine. This note describes the pests and diseases of Agaricus species.

Cultivated mushrooms are usually grown in the dark in climate-controlled rooms. The fungal innoculum or "spawn" is added to a pasteurised substrate in growing containers or beds. After the fungal strands (mycelia) have spread through the compost, a layer of peat or soil (the "casing") is added. The fruiting bodies begin appearing about 6 weeks after spawning and continue appearing in flushes about 7-10 days apart for the next 6-8 weeks. The first three flushes are the most productive. The cap and a small section of connected stem are usually harvested before the caps are fully expanded.

Pest management programs, particularly for diseases, are made more difficult by the fact that the mushroom is itself a fungus. Strict adherence to hygiene programs at all stages of production will greatly reduce potential problems.

Invertebrate pests

Arthropods

A variety of small fly and midge species are pests of mushrooms. The larvae feed on the fungal mycelium in the compost, but may also tunnel into the fruiting bodies.

A range of mite species may affect the mushroom crop. Some directly damage the fruiting bodies, some may attack the mycelium and some mites are predatory on other mites, fly eggs, nematodes or bacteria. Mite damage on the fruiting bodies often shows up as small cavities in the stem and cap similar in appearance to bacterial pit disease. Mycelium-eating mites can cause high yield losses. Mites are very small and easily transported on clothing and tools.

Springtails are commonly associated with compost, and can damage the crop if present in high enough numbers. Slaters and millipedes may also cause damage to the fruiting bodies.

Nematodes

Nematodes will cause a loss in yield and brown, watery mushrooms, and in extreme cases a soggy, smelly compost. Peat is a common source for nematodes and should be treated before use.

Mushroom-Pests and diseases

Mushroom Stuffed Burgers

Mushroom Stuffed Burgers

Do you like mushroom burgers, but don't like having all the mushrooms fall out while you are trying to eat it? Well this burger patty is stuffed with sauteed mushrooms so they stay where they are supposed to.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 pounds hamburger
* 1/4 cup finely diced onion
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
* 6 slices cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:
Combine the hamburger, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Saute mushrooms in butter until slightly browned and softened. Form meat mixture into 12 patties, about a quarter inch thick. Spoon about 1/6 of the mushrooms on to half the patties.

Mushroom Stuffed Burgers