What is Agaricus bisporus green mold? A complete guide to this disease
What is Agaricus bisporus green mold? An introduction. Agaricus bisporus green mold, commonly known as green mold, is one of the main and most common contaminant fungi in mushroom production. Trichoderma can infect mushrooms at every stage of production. Trichoderma has a strong ability to decompose cellulose and can produce toxins that inhibit the formation and growth of mycelium and fruiting bodies...
What is Agaricus bisporus green mold? An introduction
Agaricus bisporus green mold, commonly known as green mold, is one of the main and most common contaminant fungi in mushroom production. Trichoderma can infect mushrooms at every stage of production. Trichoderma has a strong ability to decompose cellulose and can produce toxins that inhibit the formation and growth of mycelium and fruiting bodies. Trichoderma multiplies rapidly and often breaks out in a short time. In mild cases it causes reduced mushroom production in local areas; in severe cases it can cause spawn to be discarded or an entire bed of substrate to be ruined, resulting in total crop loss.
Control measures should start from two aspects: eliminating the primary infection source and ecological management. Specific measures include: First, during spawn production, the substrate must be thoroughly sterilized and excessive moisture must be prevented. Lime powder can be spread on the floor and shelves of the culture room to prevent green mold growth. Second, during the fruiting period, attention should be paid to ventilation and air exchange to prevent high temperature and high humidity. Third, maintain good hygiene in the mushroom yard and culture room; the environment and tools should be disinfected regularly to reduce the source of the fungus as much as possible. Fourth, to prevent green mold growth, adjust the pH of the substrate to 7-8. When spawning, pay attention to controlling the thickness and firmness of the substrate layer to avoid excessive temperature rise in the substrate. At the same time, the film should be uncovered morning and evening for ventilation to release the heat generated by the substrate, keeping the substrate temperature below 28°C. When water droplets condense on the plastic film, the film should be lifted promptly and shaken off to promote the mushroom mycelium to colonize the substrate surface as quickly as possible. Fifth, for Trichoderma, prevention should be the main approach and treatment supplementary. During the mycelium running stage of the mushroom, inspections should be carried out promptly. For initially affected areas, the affected parts should be thoroughly dug out in time, then sprayed once with 10% concentrated lime water, or lime powder should be spread on the affected area, and fresh substrate should be added to fill it back in. If the problem is too severe to treat easily, it can be burned on site or buried deep to prevent Trichoderma spores from spreading.
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