Studies on the behaviour of mushroom spores in relation to the epidemiology of virus disease

Abstract

The Cholodny slide technique has been successfully used to study the behaviour of virus-infected spores in the casing on mushroom beds in relation to the epidemiology of virus disease. The results show that virus-infected spores can transmit the disease to mushroom mycelium in the casing through germination and anastomosis under a wide range of growing conditions such as levels of moisture, pH and salinity in the casing, type of casing material and cropping temperature. Peziza ostracoderma stimulated the germination of virus-infected mushroom spores, whereas Sporendonema purpurascens and Trichoderma sp. inhibited their germination. The significance of these fungal moulds on the epidemiology of mushroom virus disease is discussed.