Button Mushroom Pest and Disease Control Methods and Key Technical Points

The button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) is a type of mushroom that is white in color, has a very thick cap and a relatively thick stem, and is also a common edible fungus in daily life. Besides being eaten fresh, button mushrooms can also be processed into canned food. They have a certain nutritional value. During the cultivation of button mushrooms, they are very easily attacked by diseases. Let us take a look below at how to control pests and diseases in button mushrooms.

1. How to control pests and diseases in button mushrooms?

Button mushroom diseases are most likely to appear during hot weather. Common ones include Pseudobalsamia microspora, springtails, mushroom flies, mites, and so on. If they are attacked by these diseases during the spawn-running stage, chemicals can be mixed into the substrate for sterilization and pest elimination.

1. Disease treatment methods: Because the pathogenic spores of Pseudobalsamia microspora mainly come from the soil, if this disease is to be controlled, the first step is to start with the casing soil material. Do not use garden soil from discarded mushroom substrate. Instead, choose clean middle-layer soil dug out from paddy fields, break it up, and then dry it in the sun before use. One week before use, it must be treated with the relevant chemicals.

During the fruiting period, if irregular fungal masses appear on the soil surface, or if the mushrooms around them decrease in number, the soil should immediately be pushed aside to check whether the compost is contaminated by unwanted microorganisms. If the compost gives off an unusual odor and shows discoloration, then this pathogen may have appeared.

2. Pest treatment methods: After the button mushrooms are cased with soil, an appropriate amount of mushroom-adjusting water can be sprayed, and then some chemicals can be mixed into the water to control pests during the fruiting period. The main chemical is mushroom pest disinfectant insecticide. When the temperature rises above 20°C and mushroom flies become active on the mushroom bed, cypermethrin should be used for insect control. It should be sprayed appropriately around the mushroom bed, on the ground, and on the walls. Only in this way can pests be effectively controlled.

2. Key management points for button mushrooms in winter and spring

1. Management before the beginning of winter

When the mycelium of the button mushroom grows over a large area to half of the soil layer, the soil moisture must be maintained and it must not be too dry. When the mushroom buds are the size of grains of rice, a little water can be sprayed so that the soil surface looks glossy but no water seeps down. After ten minutes, cover with a straw curtain.

During routine management, spray more on sunny days and less on rainy days. If there are few mushrooms fruiting, spray less; if there are many mushrooms fruiting, spray more. When spraying water, never spray directly onto the mushroom buds. When the temperature is too high, it is not advisable to spray water at noon.

2. Winter management

When the temperature drops to a certain level, the mycelium will stop growing, so agricultural film should be covered and then pressed down firmly with clods of soil. At noon on sunny days, ventilation measures must be carried out. If there is no ventilation for a long time, pests and diseases are very likely to occur.

3. Spring management

In spring, the temperature begins to rise again, so urea at a certain concentration can be used to loosen the soil layer, so that mycelial growth can be appropriately delayed a little. In spring, ventilation can be reduced during the day and increased at night.