Management of Green Mold Disease in White Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and Its Yield Improvement

Abstract

Mycoparasites cause serious losses in profitable mushroom farms worldwide. The negative impact of green mold (Trichoderma harzianum) reduces cropping surface and damages basidiomes, limiting production and harvest quality. The goal of the current study was to evaluate new generation fungicides, to devise suitable management strategies against the green mold disease under prevailing agro-climatic conditions. Six non-systemic and five systemic fungitoxicants were evaluated for their efficacy against pathogen, T. harzianum, and host, Agaricus bisporus, under in vitro conditions. Among non-systemic fungicides, chlorothalonil and prochloraz manganese with mean mycelium inhibition of 76.87 and 93.40 percent, respectively, were highly inhibitory against the pathogen. The least inhibition percentage of 7.16 of A. bisporus was exhibited by chlorothalonil. Under in vivo conditions, use of captan 50 WP resulted in a maximum yield of button mushroom of 14.96 kg/qt. So far, systemic fungicides were concerned, carbendazim proved extremely inhibitory to the pathogen (89.22%), with least inhibitory effect on host mycelium (1.56%). However, application of non-systemic fungitoxicants further revealed that fungicide prochloraz manganese 50 WP at 0.1–0.2 percent or chlorothalonil 50 WP at 0.2 percent, exhibited maximum disease control of 89.06–96.30 percent. Moreover, the results of systemic fungitoxicants showed that carbendazim 50 WP or thiophanate methyl 70 WP at 0.1 percent reduced disease to 2.29–3.69 percent, hence exhibiting the disease control of 80.11–87.66 percent. Under in vivo conditions, fungicide myclobutanil at 0.1 percent concentration produced the maximum button mushroom production of 12.87 kg/q.

Regulation of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species Levels after the Development of Phallus rubrovolvatus Rot Disease Due to Trichoderma koningii Mycoparasitism

“…Trichoderma species contaminate the substrates of Auricularia heimuer and Pholiota adipose, infesting the mycelia of P. pulmonarius, which could inhibit fruiting body formation [50][51][52]. Furthermore, these pathogens could infest the fruiting bodies of A. bisporus, causing solid rot [53,54]. Overall, the morbidity symptoms described in previous studies were similar to the symptoms of P. rubrovolvatus rot disease observed in the present study.…”

Antifungal Properties of Nanosilver Clay Composites Against Fungal Pathogens of Agaricus bisporus

“…There are reports in the literature that some fungicides, known to control fungal pathogens of mushrooms, have a negative effect on the development of mushroom mycelia and yield. Prochloraz‐Mn (the only registered fungicide for use in South Africa's mushroom industry) has been known to cause a notable yield loss during mushroom production due to damage to the A. bisporus mycelial cell walls [14] . Fungicides such as benomyl, thiophanate methyl, iprodione, and mancozeb have also been shown [14] to significantly inhibit the growth of A. bisporus at 25 mg/L and higher concentrations.…”

“…Prochloraz‐Mn (the only registered fungicide for use in South Africa's mushroom industry) has been known to cause a notable yield loss during mushroom production due to damage to the A. bisporus mycelial cell walls [14] . Fungicides such as benomyl, thiophanate methyl, iprodione, and mancozeb have also been shown [14] to significantly inhibit the growth of A. bisporus at 25 mg/L and higher concentrations. The antifungal activity of AgNP‐zeolite (particularly at 10 mg/mL) against mushroom pathogens (preventative and curative) has been demonstrated in this study (in vitro) and AgNP‐zeolite, when applied to the peat of mushroom beds (preliminary in vivo study), had no adverse effects on mushroom fruiting yields, thus showing promise as a fungicide for use in the mushroom industry.…”

“…[1,12,13] In addition, many chemicals lost approval for use in Europe, for example, chlorothalonil, carbendazim, and benzimidazoles, which have been banned or their use discouraged due to the adverse effects that they may have on the environment. [1,14] Due to these factors, alternative control measures have been sought to control mycopathogens in mushroom production. Biocontrol agents such as microorganisms (some Bacillus spp.…”

“…Although prochloraz remains the most effective fungicide to control mushroom diseases, decreased sensitivity of Lecanicillium and Cladobotryum to this chemical has been recorded [1,12,13] . In addition, many chemicals lost approval for use in Europe, for example, chlorothalonil, carbendazim, and benzimidazoles, which have been banned or their use discouraged due to the adverse effects that they may have on the environment [1,14] . Due to these factors, alternative control measures have been sought to control mycopathogens in mushroom production.…”