Production unit hygiene

Production Unit Hygiene and Mushroom Weedmoulds and Diseases

Foreward

These web pages describe the importance and practice of hygiene around the mushroom production units. Production unit hygiene is the best defence a mushroom grower has to control the development of mushroom pests and diseases through a preventive approach and thereby minimise the need for chemical control measures.

The training and motivation of staff involved with mushroom production units is essential to the success of all hygiene programmes. The effective prevention and control of pests and disease problems through good hygiene practices, coupled with minimal use of chemicals and ensuring that all chemicals are used in line with product label recommendations, are increasingly essential elements of profitable and competitive mushroom production enterprises.

The symptoms, source, spread and control of the main weed moulds and diseases which affect mushroom growing, namely Trichoderma, Verticillium, Mycogone, Dactylium and Pseudomonas, are described.

Written by Maurice Armstrong

Prepared by Cathal Ellis

Crops and Horticulture Development Branch, CAFRE