Cultivation of Agaricus bitorquis mushroom as an strategy for the Integrated Pest Management of the myceliophagous mite Microdispus lambi

Abstract

BACKGROUNDThe phorid fly Megaselia halterata Winnertz (Diptera: Phoridae) is the principal vector of Microdispus lambi (Acari: Pygmephoroidea) in Spanish Agaricus bisporus Lange (Imbach) mushroom farms. This myceliophagous mite does not appear to be a pest in Agaricus bitorquis (Quél.) Sacc mushroom crops. This study explores the role of phorid flies as vectors of Microdispus lambi in Agaricus bitorquis mushroom crops.RESULTSThe incidence of M. lambi in A. bitorquis growing substrates did not reach appreciable levels at any point during the growing cycle. The presence of phorid flies in A. bitorquis farms was normally higher than that in the case of Agaricus bisporus Lange (Imbach) species. The percentage of phorid vectors did not statistically differ between both Agaricus crops during infection periods. However, by the end of the crop, this percentage had increased only in A. bisporus crops, coinciding with a high incidence of mites in the substrate of this mushroom species; Megaselia halterata emerging from the mushroom substrate of A. bitorquis summer crops did not carry mites as they were absent from compost and casing.CONCLUSIONM. halterata is a pest in Spanish A. bitorquis mushroom crops, meanwhile M. lambi, its phorectic mite, has shown not to be a pest of this species mushroom farms during the spring–summer growing season. A. bitorquis crops could potentially be used as an IPM measure to decrease the incidence and prevent the propagation of the myceliophagous mite M. lambi in A. bisporus mushroom growing farms. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Laboratory evaluation of Orthocentrus brachycerus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), as a potential biological control agent in mushroom cultivation

“…In European mushroom cultivation, biological agents such as entomopathogenic bacteria, nematodes and mites are used, and these strategies have low environmental impact and do not risk the development of resistance (Jess & Bingham, 2004; Jess & Kilpatrick, 2000; Jess & Schweizer, 2009; Navarro & Gea, 2014; Navarro et al., 2020). We previously reported two parasitoid wasps, Orthocentrus sp.…”

“…In Europe and North America, the pests of the common mushroom, Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Sing., such as sciarids (Diptera: Sciaridae) and phorids (Diptera: Phoridae), are controlled by applying nematodes, microorganisms and predatory mites such as entomopathogenic nematodes of the genus Steinernema (Nematoda: Steinernematidae), S. feltiae (Filipjev) and S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (Erler et al., 2009; Jess & Bingham, 2004; Katumanyane et al., 2018; Navarro & Gea, 2014; Scheepmaker et al., 1998; Shamshad et al., 2008); the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) var. israelensis (Shamshad, 2010); and predatory mites in the genus Hypoaspis (Acari: Hypoaspidae) (Jess & Bingham, 2004; Jess & Kilpatrick, 2000; Navarro et al., 2020). In these countries, integrated pest management (IPM) focusing on the use of natural enemies has been actively promoted, but this strategy has not been used much in Asian countries, including Japan.…”

Mushrooms and Algae– ‘Microorganisms as source Superfoods’: A Review

“…of mushroom [20]. Other top mushroom cultivating states are California, Florida and Michigan [21]. India produces 2% of the world's whereas China contributes to 75%.…”

Mushroom Phorid Flies—A Review

“…farms [29,46,47] and on Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach and Agaricus bitorquis (Quél.) Sacc crops [48]. White et al [49] reported cultivated A. bisporus to be more susceptible to phorid Megaselia halterata than wild species.…”