Pests And Diseases plus Culture
Maintenance
By Marc-Andrew Donsky
e-mail: mad@amigo.net
Cultivation IV
Pests and Diseases: Once you have
gotten to the stage of mushroom production, you will now
be faced with a continuing battle with pests and
diseases. Among the pests, you will find insects, mites
and nematodes.
Among the diseases and competitors, you will find many
fungi and bacteria. [Note: The author believes that an
organic approach to mushroom cultivation and pest control
is best. He feels that proper growing conditions and good
strain selection can produce healthy, robust mushrooms
that resist disease and invasion by pests. He does not
recommend the use of copper salts, fungicides or other
pesticides. The use of these poisons can be avoided by
proper composting and maintaining proper growing
conditions. Information on the use of pesticides is
provided because of their proven efficacy, reference
within the mushroom culture literature, and common use by
the commercial mushroom agricultural industry.] Most
pests can be avoided by well done, clean composting. It
is impossible to over emphasize the importance and
benefits of strict adherence to tidiness and sanitation
of the work area and continued attention to the
cleanliness of the growing areas.
The compost should be constructed on a cement slab, or
by some means kept from direct contact with the earth;
sheets of plywood, plastic pools, flattened van tops can
all serve as a barricade to soil bacterial and fungal
contaminants and competitors, and help to minimize
invasion of the compost by insects and other pests.
Peak heating of the compost will eliminate most fungal
problems and insure that you start your cultivation with
a medium free of insects. The addition of 1 lb. of copper
sulfate per ton of compost will help prevent those
diseases not killed by peak heating. Zineb is a selective
fungicide that is often used.
Bacterial problems are generally a result of the
combination of too high a humidity with a lack of
adequate ventilation. The mushroom caps must be allowed
to dry after (between) misting/sprayings or bacterial
contamination can result. Sometimes a weak (2%) chlorox
solution will help in extreme cases.
Insect pests can be a constant source of irritation.
Everything within ones' power should be done to prevent
insects' access to growing rooms. Diazon can be used as a
dust on casing for mites and flies. Malathion can also be
used but tends to cause pinhead abortion when sprayed.
Fly paper and bug lights may be helpful for those of us
wishing to avoid the use of chemical insecticides but
where there are flies in the air, there are larva in the
mushrooms and/or medium. The use of diatomaceous earth in
the casing layer can be attempted as a preventative
approach to larva infestation. The immediate removal of
contaminated boxes is highly recommended.
Partial Bibliography:
Mushroom Growing Today, by F.C. Atkins
and Mushroom Growing for Everyone, by Roy
Genders both have fairly good chapters describing the
pests, competitors, and diseases, although both books
rely on heavy applications of chemical pesticides to
control these problems. The Mushroom Cultivator,
by Paul Stamets and J.S. Chilton devotes a large section
to the description, causes and prevention of the
contaminants and pests of mushroom culture. Stamets
reports the use of tree frogs for insect control in his
growing rooms in Washington State. Again, it should be
stated: Most pests can be avoided by well done, clean
composting. It is impossible to over emphasize the
importance and benefits of strict adherence to tidiness
and sanitation of the work area and continued attention
to the cleanliness and environmental conditions (humidity
and ventilation) of the growing areas.
Maintenance of Cultures:
Cultures can be stored on agar plates or slants,
sterilized grain, or sterilized compost. Sometimes the
cultures are submerged under sterilized mineral oil. The
stored cultures are generally refrigerated and can be
kept viable for years.
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