A Detailed Guide to the Latest Control Methods for Neurospora in Reishi Mushroom

Neurospora is also known as red bread mold, neuron-spora, or monilial mold, etc. Its hyphae are transparent, branched, mostly septate, and loose, forming a network. Conidiophores grow out from the hyphae, and conidia are produced at the tips of the conidiophores. The main species include Neurospora sitophila, Neurospora crassa, Neurospora sitophila, Neurospora intermedia, etc. Now let us take a look at the control methods for Neurospora in reishi mushroom!

Occurrence Patterns of Neurospora in Reishi Mushroom

1. Neurospora is widely distributed, lives on organic matter, and spreads through airflow. Unsanitary sites, poor sterile conditions, incomplete sterilization, damp or too-loose cotton plugs, and sand holes in the mushroom bags are the main routes of primary infection by Neurospora. Once infected, the new conidia produced become the route of secondary infection.

2. Neurospora has extremely strong vitality and prefers high temperature and high humidity. It grows rapidly when oxygen is sufficient, can grow within 4-44°C, and grows fastest at 25-36°C. It grows rapidly when the water content of the substrate is 53-67%, and can grow at pH 3-9. The hot season is the period of high incidence.

Damage Characteristics of Neurospora in Reishi Mushroom

1. It strikes fiercely, spreads quickly, and causes great harm. Once it occurs, it is difficult to control, and generally the affected material is buried or burned.

2. Its conidia germinate faster than the hyphae of other molds.

3. Its aerial hyphae are highly resistant and strong, able to penetrate cotton plugs and burst through mushroom bags.

4. Neurospora causes rampant damage in the hot, humid summer. It spreads extremely quickly mainly at the bag opening of the substrate and at the base and edges of the fruiting bodies, producing large amounts of orange-red powdery spores.

Control Methods for Neurospora in Reishi Mushroom

1. The substrate must be fresh, without caking or mold, and should be sun-dried before use. Sterilization must be thorough, dampening of the cotton plugs must be prevented, and damage to the spawn bags must be reduced.

2. Spray the cultivation site, bed frames, walls, etc. with a 500-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl solution.

3. For mildly infected cotton plugs, under sterile conditions, sterilize the bottle mouth and cotton plug by flaming, then dip the cotton plug in lime powder and put it back in place. If the cultivation bag is contaminated but the reishi mushroom hyphae still have strong vitality, dig a pit 30-40 cm deep in the shade of trees, arrange the mushroom bags in it, cover with moist soil, and after about half a month the Neurospora will disappear. If the contamination is severe, it should be removed promptly and burned or deeply buried to prevent the conidia from spreading and causing infection again.

4. Note that once orange-red block-like conidial masses appear, carefully wrap them with a damp cloth or damp paper and remove them, then soak them in the chemical solution or bury them deeply. Never spray the chemical directly onto the pathogen with a sprayer, so as to avoid scattering the spores.