Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:?North American Mushroom Industry Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?High school and undergraduate students were trained in isolating and identifying bacterial isolates. Mushroom farm employees were trained in organic disease and pest management.We conducted several pieces of training during pesticide meetings in the Spring and Fall of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The programming for the last two years is listed below: January 28, 2021 - Phorid Fly Townhall Mike Wolfin (presenter), Nina Jenkins, Tom Baker, and Maria Gorgo Virtual town hall requested by Rep. Sappey, John Lawrence, Craig Williams, and Senator Carolyn Comitta. The goal was to provide the public an update on the progress that has been made in addressing phorid flies. Attended by PA Dept. of Agriculture Russel Reading and Fred Strethmeyer March 18, 2021 - 2021 Spring Virtual Mushroom Pesticide Meeting English session: 09:30 am to 12 pm; Spanish session: 01:00 pm to 03:30 pm; Each session had 5 presentations April 7, 2021 - Phorid fly webinar. Mike Wolfin, Maria Gorgo, and S. Shirk Title: Mushroom Phorid Fly Control - April 2021 Update October 3, 4, and 5, 2021 - Mushroom Short Course Spanish session - Maria Gorgo (Chair, moderator, and speaker) Phorid Fly Research & Extension Update*- Maria Gorgo and Michael Wolfin, Penn State; Mushroom Production App / The Updated Mushroom Industry Food Safety Training Kit - Sergio Nieto-Montenegro; Post-Harvest Sanitation Best Practices - Javier Lopez, Mother Earth, Inc.; Labor Saving Techniques - Fidel Urbina - Giorgi Mushroom Company October 14, 2021 - 2021 Fall Virtual Mushroom Pesticide Meeting English session: 09:30 am to 12 pm' Spanish session: 01:00 pm to 03:30 pm; Each session had 5 presentations March 24, 2022 - 2022 Spring Virtual Mushroom Pesticide Meeting English session: 09:30 am to 12 pm; Spanish session: 01:00 pm to 03:30 pm; Each session had 5 presentations April 25, 2022 - Phorid fly webinar Mike Wolfin, Maria Gorgo. Remarks by B. Hales, Maryan Molonsly, Rep Christina Sappey, and Fred Strathmeyer. Title: Mushroom Phorid Fly Control - April 2022 Update 106 registered with 60 people watching live and 12 views on the website as of June 2022. There were 348 unique pageviews for the main Webinar Group (both April 7, 2021, and April 25, 2022). October 25, 2022 - 2022 Fall Virtual Mushroom Pesticide Meeting English session: 09:30 am to 12 pm; Spanish session: 01:00 pm to 03:30 pmEach session had 5 presentations What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective Disease Management We investigated spore load and timing of infection for Lecanicillium Dry Bubble disease. The results of this experiment support those of previous studies that dry bubbles form when Lecanicillium infestation occurs in the early stages of sporophore development. When inoculum is introduced to the developing primordium, or even before pin formation, the maturation process is interrupted with either no further development or the appearance of shapeless tissue mounds known as dry bubbles within 12 - 22 days. If the developing sporophore is infested, necrotic lesions and stipe blowouts occur as development continues. Both symptoms are visible within 4 - 9 days of Lecanicillium spore introduction. If infestation occurs later in sporophore development, dark brown spotting of the pileus is visible within 4 days. If Lecanicillium spore exposure occurs just before harvest time, the mushrooms could be symptomless when they are picked. However, the symptoms continue to develop and often render the product unmarketable by the time it reaches the retailer. To better understand the diversity of pathogens that can incite blotch, we have employed a two-pronged strategy. First, we've utilized a high-throughput bacterial isolation system to recover 720 isolates from blotch lesions of commercially grown mushrooms. Of these isolates, 600 were found to be pathogenic when inoculated onto healthy mushrooms. All isolates were fluorescent Pseudomonads and are currently being identified through sequencing of the rpoD marker gene. In addition to characterizing the diversity of blotch pathogens through isolation and Koch's postulates, we have followed up on our previous amplicon sequencing-based approach to identify organisms enriched in diseased mushroom caps compared to healthy mushroom caps. To do this, we've used shotgun metagenomics, which has given us a higher degree of specificity in determining the organisms that are present. Thus far we have shown that P. tolaasii is the most over-represented Pseudomonad in diseased compared to healthy mushroom caps. These results have confirmed that P. tolaasii is the major blotch-inciting species on Pennsylvania farms. In seeking to develop methods to control blotch that are compatible with organic production systems, we have isolated and purified 12 phages, which target the diversity of Pseudomonas pathogens so far recovered from Pennsylvania farms. Most of these phages are specific in their host range (only targeting the host against which it was isolated), however, there is one phage that can target pathogens from different clades, indicating it has a broader targeting spectrum. In assessing the ability of these phages to inhibit the pathogen population in a mushroom cap setting, we've found that at least one phage leads to significantly reduced populations of the co-inoculated pathogen. Additionally, this phage resulted in the complete absence of disease symptoms three days after inoculation, whereas disease was observed for the pathogen-only inoculation. We will repeat this experiment and then submit these results for publication. Finally, we've recovered isolates of 5 distinct blotch-inciting pathogens (representing distinct pathogenic clades) that have been marked with different antibiotic resistances (gentamycin and rifampicin). With these strains in hand, we will now be able to perform competition experiments in the mushroom cap environment to determine whether bacteriocins can mediate competitive exclusion between blotch pathogens. Objective: Mushroom Phorid Flies and Sciarid Fungus Gnats EcoVia WD was identified as an effective adulticide in previous pesticide screening assays as promising adulticide. EcoVia WD is FIFRA 25 (b) exempt and approved for use in organic agriculture. The practical application of fine insecticidal dust on mushroom farms was difficult due to the humid and turbulent nature of growing rooms. Therefore, aerosol formulations of essential oil pesticide products were screened for efficacy against adult Megaselia halterata (mushroom phorid fly) and Lycoriella ingenua (sciarid gnat). Pesticides were retested after 14 days residual period in a fume hood. EcoVia CA was an effective adulticide for both fly species. After a 14-day residual period, EcoVia CA remained effective against L. ingenua adults at 0 min, 1 h, and 24 h post-exposure, but effectiveness against M. halterata had diminished mortality at 0 min, 1 h, and 24 h post-exposure. Application strategies will be assessed using EcoVia CA in future field studies to control both flies' populations. Since January 2021, we recruited 17 additional growersin Chester County for the implementation of the novel strategy. Growing protocols and farm architectures vary widely from farm to farm, and the management strategies are highly dependent on these variables. We have worked closely with these growers to adapt and customize the implementation of the control methods for individual farms. Optimization ofcontrol methods requires consistent monitoring of fly populations and observations of fly behavior to inform adjustments to protocols to ensure consistent control. Fly counts during spawn runs were significantly lower on farms using attract and kill stations compared to those using attract and kill stations across the growing season. Chemical, electrophysiological and behavioral assays were conducted and analyzed to identify the putative sex pheromone components of M. halterata and L. ingenua. Further research involving final chemical analyses and behavioral assays is being conducted to finish the precise chemical characterization of these two sex pheromones. Additionally, non-pheromonal chemical and visual attractants have been implicated in creating novel attract-and-kill technologies. Pesticide studies indicated possible repellency or behavioral antagonism by essential oil pesticide products. Additional laboratory and field studies are necessary to characterize the behavioral responses to essential oil products in the laboratory and on farms. If essential oil products are effective repellents or behavioral antagonists, these can be effective sustainable methods for control on mushroom farms. Objective Technology App for Traceability The focus of our work during the 2021-2022 project year has been continued testing, refinement, and redesign/development of core Cropsmarts features. A second priority this past year has been on the design, development, and testing of an approach to automating crop data capture using sensor and internet-of-thing (IoT) technologies. Accomplishments this year were redesign, development, and testing of many of the application workflows in response to feedback from user testing and public application demonstrations e.g., creating farm topologies, creating crop plans, creating and managing alert values for crop measures. Design, development, and testing of an enhanced organic tracing approach for crops. This provides growers with a simple model for tracking organic and conventional crop inputs. Design, development, and testing of an enhanced crop data export feature to support the use of third-party tools for crop data analytics. Inclusion of organic crop input percentages as part of the crop summary view. Design, development, and testing of an enhanced approach to measuring and viewing crop data captured at the growing room section level. Design, development, and testing of a 3-dimensional spatial view of crop measure data within growing rooms. Design, development, and testing a proof-of-concept architecture for automating the capture of crop operations data using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors and internet-of-things technologies. This work has created a foundational infrastructure for the future integration of advanced sensor technologies. Conducted a security audit of the applications and implemented security enhancements in response to findings. ?
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
1. Syzygites Disease on the Agaricus Mushroom
English: https://extension.psu.edu/basic-ipm-practices-for-organic-mushroom-farms-syzygites-disease-on-the-agaricus-mushroom
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/practicas-basicas-de-mip-para-fincas-de-champi-ones-hongos-organicos-enfermedades-producidas-por-syzygites-en-hongos-agaricus
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
2. Phorid Fly Control
English: https://extension.psu.edu/mushroom-phorid-fly-infestations-in-mushroom-farms-and-surrounding-neighborhoods
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/infestaciones-de-moscas-foridas-del-champinon-en-fincas-productivas-de-hongos-y-barrios-residenciales-cercanos
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
3. What is Integrated Pest Management? IPM for mushroom farms
English: https://extension.psu.edu/basic-ipm-practices-for-organic-mushroom-farms-what-is-integrated-pest-management
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/practicas-basicas-de-mip-para-fincas-de-champinones-hongos-organicos-que-es-el-manejo-integrado-de-plagas-mip
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
4. Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Mushrooms
English: https://extension.psu.edu/basic-ipm-practices-for-organic-mushroom-farms-bacterial-and-viral-diseases-of-mushrooms
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/practicas-basicas-de-mip-para-fincas-de-champi-ones-hongos-organicos-enfermedades-bacterianas-y-virales-de-los-champi-ones-y-hongos-1
4. Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Mushrooms
English: https://extension.psu.edu/basic-ipm-practices-for-organic-mushroom-farms-bacterial-and-viral-diseases-of-mushrooms
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/practicas-basicas-de-mip-para-fincas-de-champi-ones-hongos-organicos-enfermedades-bacterianas-y-virales-de-los-champi-ones-y-hongos-1
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
5. Mushroom Fungal diseases
English: https://extension.psu.edu/basic-ipm-practices-for-organic-mushroom-farms-fungal-diseases-of-mushrooms
Spanish: https://extension.psu.edu/practicas-basicas-de-mip-para-fincas-de-champi-ones-hongos-organicos-enfermedades-fungicas
|
Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The North American organic mushroom farms and producers. Non-organic mushroom farms would also benefit from this project. Changes/Problems:Mobile app development will focus on pest and disease monitoring, supply chain tracking has not been possible. Fungal pathogen work has and will focus on the new pathogen Syzygites. Bio-fungicide testing will continue if new products can be identified. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Some initial farm and ubdergraduate trainings were started until COVID stopped those activities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, several articles were published in the mushroom trade magazine. Reports and information has been presented at Pesticide Credit meeting and the Mushroom Short Courses. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Complete extension publications and videos. Undergraduate training. Further screening of bio-pesticides for fungal and fly control. Continue mobile app development. Bacterial Blotch Lab To be completed in 3 months Strains will be engineered for bacteriocin competition assays final phage will be isolated. Pathogen diversity paper to be submitted To be completed in 6 months Bacteriocins will be identified from genomes Pathogenicity of strains from GALT samples will be completed To be completed in 9 months Non-ribosomal peptide synthases will be identified from genomes To be completed in 12 months Bacteriocin paper will be submitted Phage paper will be submitted GALT paper will be submitted
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Our project has provided organic mushroom growers with educational materials for their employees to better understand pest and disease control. This research program has developed additional tools and strategies for organic growers to control their pest and disease challenges. This has resulted in improved yield, quality, and fresh mushroom shelf life on organic farms. We have shown the potential to reduce fly populations by 50-99% which increased yield on one farm by over 25%. We also have documented the higher costs of organically produced mushrooms that affect the economic viability of organic mushroom production. Objective 1 We have developed a poster, three videos and five factsheets, aall are and or will be available in Spanish. We conducted IPM bilingual trainings for organic mushroom production at the 2021Mushroom Short Course and several trainings during pesticide meetings in the 2020 and 2021. On-farm IPM training for bilingual employees has been postponed due to the pandemic. Objective 2 Because of COVID disruptions this objective was modified to include a project and an introductory plant pathology class. The project was designed during the 2020 reporting cycle and will be carried out in fall 2021 this should lead to a short manuscript that can be used by high school instructors for isolating in characterizing mushroom pathogens from grocery store mushrooms. Objective 3 We have tested over two dozen biofungicides in-vivo and in-vitro. 6 compounds tested showed no control of Dry Bubble. The epidemiology and etiology of a new pathogen Syzygites was investigated looking at inoculation methods and the resulting infection levels. Infection only occurred when inoculating knock-over mushrooms with agar plugs before first break with additional pathogen spread was then observed to healthy mushrooms suggesting the importance of cleaning dead mushroom tissue off the beds. Objective 4 We have sampled blotch disease lesions originating from mushrooms sampled from PA farms using both conventional and a high throughput isolation system, recovering ~800 isolates. Using this same approach, an additional 870 bacterial isolates were obtained from diseased mushrooms from three organic farms in CA. We are currently working to identify those that are pathogenic. We suggest that bacteriocin production by pathogens may help to determine which pathogens dominate in any given site. We have generated strains of six different pathogens that are resistant to 2 antibiotics. We have isolated an additional 8 bacteriophages that are able to infect various blotch-causing pathogens. We now are defining the host range for each phage to make sure that the collection covers the entire diversity of pathogens isolated. Objective 5 Several OMRI listed control products were screened for efficacy against of Megaselia halterata (phorid fly) and Lycoriella ingenua (sciarid fly). Screening activities identified EcoVia WD as a promising adulticide and is approved for use in organic agriculture. The application of EcoVia WD as a perimeter treatment reduced populations by 50%. We have been developing an application strategy that exploits the observed behavior of flies and their attraction to light. We evaluated the efficacy of EcoVia WD using electrostatic screens as a pesticide delivery system in windows vents in mushroom growing rooms. A practical integrated pest management program (IPM). strategy was developed to exploit the behavioral ecology of adult M. halterata by creating attract and kill stations in the growing rooms. Objective 6 Assays were conducted to identify the putative sex pheromone components of both fly species. Further research is being conducted to find the precise chemical characterization of these two sex pheromones. The electrostatic screening described above was used to replace the old window filters, and so now more light is let into the rooms creating a stronger and more attractive visual cue for the flies. Further studies are necessary to identify the volatile components of growing mycelia to identify the behaviorally active compounds to develop monitoring traps and kill stations. Objective 7 To test for residue levels and the effects of pesticide usage on mushroom substrate raw materials, organic wheat straw was used in comparison with conventionally grown wheat straw. Three pesticides were applied during the summer growing season to the conventionally grown wheat according to recommended label rates: Caramba ® (metconazole), Harmony ® Extra (thifensulfuron methyl) and Roundup (glyphosate). Two substrates were prepared at the Mushroom Research Center, one utilizing the organic wheat straw and one utilizing conventionally grown wheat straw. Straw samples of both were sent to a lab for chemical residue analyses. Mushrooms were then grown on each substrate and were harvested for 2 breaks and crop yield was assessed for each treatment. Mushrooms were collected and pooled separately from the 1st and 2nd breaks and then sent for residue analyses. No detectable levels of the either of the herbicides (Harmony Extra or Roundup) were detected in in the straw or in any of the mushrooms sampled from cropping. Caramba levels were detected in the conventionally produced straw but was not in the mushrooms harvested on the conventional straw-based substrate. No statistical differences in mushroom yield were observed. Objective 8 Two CropSmarts applications; a web-based application for managing farm and crop configurations and a mobile app for crop inputs, measures, and outputs was user tested. Progress was made on furthering the functionality and usability of the 2 applications. A proof-of-concept sensor suite for automating capture of crop variables was tested during at least 10 Zoom-based meetings with project stakeholders. An extended trial with one grower was conducted. The web application is available to test at: https://www.cropsmarts.com/. Objective 9 . A set of industrywide surveys was designed in a joint effort between Delaware Valley University and Penn State University to capture aggregate level volumes and expenditures and assess demand uncertainty, supply risk, and the strengths and weaknesses of links along the business to consumer (B2C) mushroom supply chain. The objectives during this phase were to: (1) analyze the economic and financial impacts of organic mushroom production in comparison to conventional production, and (2) identify the organic mushroom supply chain effects observed from a demand and supply planning standpoint. The survey was sent to 94 mushroom growers who accounted for 28% of U.S. mushroom production and accounted for nearly 60% of total organic mushroom production. Survey responses indicate that organic mushroom yields averaged 6.8% below conventional yields and the cost of producing organic mushrooms is estimated to be 19% above that reported by conventional growers. Labor costs and compost are the two highest operating costs for organic growers. Consumer interest in organic mushrooms continues to increase and is creating opportunities and higher profits for growers. A survey of mushroom growers indicates that cash operating costs for organic mushrooms are nearly 20% higher than those experienced by conventional mushroom production. However, consumers have spent 45% more on fresh organic mushrooms than on equivalent conventional mushrooms. The answer to whether the additional costs associated with organic mushroom production are justified in the market is a resounding yes.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Using the Prospector System (TM) for high-throughput isolation and identification of mushroom blotch pathogens.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Not all Viruses are Bad: Controlling Mushroom Blotch Disease with Bacteriophages
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
USDA-NIFA Organic Research and Extension Initiative Project, 2019 Update
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Update on Syzygites Research
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Mushroom Madness: The Carnival of Pathogens Causing Bacterial Blotch on Mushrooms and Strategies for Blotch Management
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Use of attract and kill stations to control mushroom phorid flies on mushroom farms
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Use of essential oil products and natural attract and kill stations to control mushroom fly populations
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Overview of management strategies for mushroom phorid flies
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Advances in mushroom fly control on mushroom farms
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Steam-Off and Post-Crop Pasteurization to Maintain Low Pest Population on Organic Mushroom Farms
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
What is IPM and How to Use Cultural Control Practices to Minimize Pest and Disease Problems on Organic Mushroom Farms
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Interactions of Sciarid Fly Larvae and Biocontrol Nematodes
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Syzygites Disease on the Agaricus Mushroom
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Phorid Fly Control
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
What is Integrated Pest Management? IPM for organic mushroom farms
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Mushrooms
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Mushroom Fungal diseases
|
Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:North American Mushroom Industry Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Publications Conferences Growing meetings Farm Visits What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Accomplishmnets that made a difference: North American Mushroom organic mushroom growers industry received severalbilingualIPM Fact Sheet posters to be place around the farms to help educate employes on pest and disease control. Several publications for scientisits and growers were produced outlining the progress made on the research from this project. A mobile app has been developed and is ready for testing on farms. Although the COVID pandamic has delay parts of the project we continue to accomplish our objectives. We have developed a poster on "Steam-Off • Post-Crop Pasteurization to Maintain Low Pest Population. We have developed bilingual factsheets for organic mushroom producers and employees for management of mushroom flies and diseases. We have conducted IPM related trainings for organic mushroom production during pesticide meetings and at the 2019 Mushroom Short Course. These programs highlight the latest advances, challenges, and opportunities on food safety, cultivation practices, disease and pest management, dietary health for traditional and organic mushroom production. Despite setbacks in hiring of staff for the research we have made good progress on bacterial blotch related work. A CURE-like project was established and carried out at Lincoln University. Students participated in the training program which included a lecture about organic mushroom production and bacterial blotch diseases. Students isolated blotch pathogens from commercial organic mushroom farms in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The students tested the isolates for pathogenicity and then amplified the 16S rDNA gene to tentatively identify the isolates. The training was cut short by one visit due to the COVID outbreak. We are establishing a mushroom blotch CURE at Penn State which we are planning to share through one or two educational publications. This CURE was planned to start in the summer of 2020, however this plan was disrupted by the COVID outbreak. We hope to run the CURE during the summer of 2021. We have conducted an additional three bacterial blotch surveys on organic farms. Two of the surveys were conducted according to methods used in previous surveys. The third was an in-depth analysis of different lesions from individual mushrooms. Bacteriocins isolated from pathogenic Pseudomonas species causing blotch were tested against a panel of pathogens. There are some patterns of killing that correspond either to the phylogeny of the producer organism or to the phylogeny of the target strain. Likewise, bacteriophage have been isolated from mushroom production houses using hosts from five different species of Pseudomonas spp. that cause blotch. Thus far, 43 bacteriophage have been detected from mushroom casing samples against 5 of the 11 species of Pseudomonas causing blotch. We were set to evaluate the effect of conventional herbicide use on raw materials and any subsequent impact on fruit bodies, but the crop started was discontinued when COVID pandemic shut down the research center. We continue to screen bio-fungicides for control of the fungal pathogens, Lecanicillium (Dry Bubble), Trichoderma and Syzygites. They have tested over two dozen materials in culture and with cropping trials. We have found a little control with a material called Mycostop against Dry Bubble, but unfortunately no other materials have seemed effective. They are presently experimenting with low oxygen conditions in Phase II and its influence on the development of Trichoderma green mold disease. We are looking at microbial ecology of Phase II and possible interaction of Bacillus spp. and its effect on the growth of Trichoderma. Evaluations of potential adulticides already identified EcoVia WD and Cimexa as effective products when applied to Pollen-tech™ electrostatically charged mesh. Since this discovery, additional OMRI certified products have been identified as effective either when applied to Pollen-tech™ mesh, and as residual insecticides on other surfaces including blue insulation foam, which is commonly used in mushroom growing rooms. We now have 7 promising adulticides, EcoVia WD, EcoVia 3-in-1, Essentra IC3, Naturecide, Cimexa, and Cirkill RTU. The latter two products would require label extensions from the EPA prior to field evaluation. These products good potential for implementation by growers due to their effectiveness against both Phorid and Sciarid flies. We have been exploring options for application to surfaces including the blue insulating foam, which is used as a barrier to prevent the movement of flies between growing rooms. On-farm trials with combinations of EcoVia WD and EcoVi 3-in-1, are nearing completion. Application protocols were redesigned to optimize the application of EcoVia products on mushroom farms. EcoVia 3-in-1 was sprayed on all the mesh surfaces, previously identified as potential ports of entry for phorid flies. EcoVia WD was applied in the attic of the mushroom houses, which connect the growing rooms and are used by flies to move between mushroom crops. Preliminary analysis of the results show that fly populations were lower in houses treated with EcoVia both early and late in the season compared to houses that were not treated. We synthesized candidate pheromone compounds to identify the minor components of the phorid fly female produced sex pheromone blend. Electrophysiological responses to synthetic candidate compounds showed the insects can detect the synthetic compounds. Bioassays were developed to observe the behavioral significance the synthetic candidate compounds. Preliminary results suggest male phorid flies are attracted to the synthetic compounds. We have been working on a web and mobile application to support IPM and is getting close to piloting the web-mobile application and will eventually work on other activities for mushroom producers. Progress on web and mobile application development for mushroom crop tracking. We have completed development of version 1 of the web and mobile applications. Our focus now is on testing and debugging the two applications. We are ready to begin user testing and will develop a study design suitable for the current COVID-19 social distancing situation. We have also begun researching possible integration of remote sensing and crop data analytics capabilities. Our collaborator at Delaware Valley University is investigating alternative potential organic substrates for mushroom production that may have implications for production economics and producer profitability. We have completed three surveys for the mushroom industry designed to compare the costs, expenditures, markets and logistics of organic mushrooms. These data will enable us to estimate the economics of organic versus conventional mushroom production. We have developed individual surveys for three sectors of the mushroom industry: compost producers, mushroom growers, and mushroom packers and distributors. The results of these surveys will be aggregated for an industry-wide impact. We have been developing an industrywide set of surveysdesigned to capture aggregate level volumes and expenditures and assess demand uncertainty, supply risk, and the strengths and weaknesses of links along the business to consumer (B2C)Agaricus mushroom supply chain. The objective of this phase of our work is twofold: to (1) analyze and determine the economic and financial impacts of organic mushroom production in comparison to non-organic (conventional) production, and (2) understand the organic mushroom supply chain effects observed from a demand and supply planning standpoints. Therefore, three surveys have been developed: a composting survey, a growing survey, and a packing survey. Each survey will be codified so that identifiers are not revealed during the analysis and write up of findings. We hope that the results of this effort will provide a foundation for further study, seeking to improve the industry and inform best practices.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Martins, S.J., Trexler, R.V., Vieira, F.R., Pecchia, J.A., Kandel, P.P., Hockett, K.L., Bell, T.H., and Bull, C.T. 2019. ���Comparing approaches for capturing bacterial assemblages associated with symptomatic (bacterial blotch) and asymptomatic mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) caps. Phytobiomes https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-08-19-0044-R
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Osdaghi, E., Martins, S.J., Ramos-Sepulveda, L., Vieira, F.R., Pecchia, J.A., Beyer, D.M., Bell, T.H., Yang, Y., Hockett, K.L., and Bull, C.T. 2019. 100 Years since Tolaas: Bacterial Blotch of Mushrooms in the 21st Century. Plant Disease https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0589-FE.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Martins, S.J., and Bull, C.T. 2019. Translational taxonomy for bacterial blotch management. Mushroom News 67:4-6.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Uberchuck, J. 2020. Economics, Management, and Mushrooms. Mushroom News 68 (3):10-14
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Beyer, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Compost and Casing Lab Results. Mushroom News. (67)(8), (pp. 5-7)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Beyer, D. M. (February 27, 2019). "Disease and Pest IPM Control for Growing Organic," Penn State Pesticide Credit Meeting, Chester Co,
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Bull, C.T., 2020. Mushroom Madness: The Carnival of Pathogens Causing Bacterial Blotch on Mushrooms and Strategies for Blotch Management. California State University Monterey, Seaside, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Ebrahim, A., Hershlag, R.A., Hockett, K.L., and Bull, C.T. 2019. Organic Mushroom Production. Lincoln University. Oxford PA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bull, C.T., 2019. Bacterial Blotch on Mushrooms: Possible New Methods of Control. PSU Mushroom Short Course.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bull, C.T., 2019. Bacterial Blotch on Mushrooms: Possible New Methods of Control. American Phytopathological Society Potomac Division Meeting, Rehoboth Beach DE.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bull, C.T., 2019. Translating Taxonomy and Microbiome Data for Plant & Mushroom Disease Management. Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bull, C.T., 2019. Mushrooms and Microbiomes: Who is Killing Whom. Sigma Xi, Erie, PA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Aleman, M., Bull, C.T., and Hockett, K.L. 2019. Understanding microbial communities: Single-gene phylogenies and their resolution. Plant Health 2019, Cleveland, Ohio. August 2-7, 2019.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Martins, S.J., Trexler, R.V., Vieira, F.R., Pecchia, J., Kandel, P., Hockett, K., Bell, T.H., Bull C.T. 2019. Comparing approaches for capturing bacterial assemblages associated with symptomatic (bacterial blotch) and asymptomatic mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) caps. Plant Health 2019, Cleveland, Ohio. August 2-7, 2019. (received Best Phytobiomes Poster award).
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:North American Organic Mushroom Growers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Oppurtunity for Penn State and Lincoln University undergrates to be introduced to the mushroom industry and reseach activities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Posters for farms, fact sheets, workshops, pesticide credit meetings, and annual Mushroom Short Course conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have developed posters on Organic Farms - Post-Crop Pasteurization and Mushroom Diseases. We are currently developing bilingual factsheets for organic mushroom producers and employees for management of mushroom flies and diseases. Once finalized we will develop the short videos. We have conducted IPM related trainings for organic mushroom production during pesticide meetings and at the annual conference. Several bio-fungicides continue to be screened for efficacy against a fungal pathogen. Cueva and MilStop showed no control of Lecanicillium dry bubble disease. Syzygites megalocarpus is a fungal pathogen that infects Agaricus bisporus, the white and brown button mushroom. The pathogen recently appeared on a commercial Pennsylvania mushroom farm and has since become a reoccurring problem on many farms. We determined thermal death point for spores was around 37ºC with a 30-minute exposure time, indicating that Phase II mushroom composting parameters are adequate to kill the pathogen. For the residue testing of conventional vs organic substrates, the conventional wheat straw (that received herbicide applications) was cut and baled for a future cropping experiment that will be conducted this fall. The organic wheat straw is scheduled to be cut and baled in the next couple of weeks. After baling, the organic straw bales will also be stored until the fall cropping experiment. The straw, and mushrooms from 1st and 3rd break will be sent to a commercial lab for residue testing. We will be working with students this fall to isolate bacteriophage from substrates from organic mushroom farms. We collected mushrooms and compost from an organic farm and will collect samples five additional times. The pathogens and potential biological control agents from the genus Pseudomonas have been isolated. Strains causing blotch will be identified. Bacterial composition differed significantly based on mushroom health status and bacterial removal method. These data are now being used to target potential bacterial biological control agents from the bacterial communities stored from these mushroom samples. These and organisms and bacteriophage from other samples will be used to develop cocktails for biological control. We have begun to isolate bacteriophages from mushroom cap (diseased and healthy) and compost samples retrieved from an organic growing house. Bioassays to evaluate the efficacy of a number of minimum risk/OMRI certified products have been completed. Spinosad, was shown to have some larvicidal activity when incorporated in to compost prior to the addition of egg laying adults. Additional trials are underway to determine effective does rates that might results in economic control. Three products showed only marginal activity against larval stages. Evaluations of potential adulticides already identified two materials as effective products when applied to Pollen-tech™ electrostatically charged mesh. Since this discovery, additional OMRI certified products have been identified as effective either when applied to Pellen-tech™ mesh, and as residual insecticides on other surfaces including blue insulation foam, which is commonly used in mushroom growing rooms. We now have 7 promising adulticides. However, we have commenced on-farm trials with combinations of products and hope to expand our field tests to include additional farm sites and product combinations over the next 12 months. We made significant progress in identifying the sex pheromone of the mushroom phorid fly finding two new components that differ from the structures previously identified which were never shown to be behaviorally active. In our work, pheromone extracts from wild-caught M. halterata females showed, using coupled gas chromatograph/electroantennogram recordings (GC/EAG), that there were several EAG-active peaks when using male antennae as the EAG-detector but no EAG-activity was found when using female antennae. These EAG results were consistent with the male-attraction properties of this female-produced sex pheromone. The two novel EAG active compounds from the extract were identified. A collaborator helped to chemically characterize these two novel compounds, which had never before been identified from natural substances and are thus new to science. These two synthesized ketols and GC/MS analyses showed a mixture isomers produced by his synthetic route. These two synthetic ketols were delivered to the Penn State group and we found them to be EAG-active to male antennae. We examined whether delayed mating of females caused by sex pheromone mating disruption of this species could reduce fecundity and fertility. We performed extensive experiments delaying the mating of females by from one to seven days. We found that there was no negative effect on female fecundity or fertility when mating was delayed by up to five days. Over the last year of work we have completed the first version of an application to support Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for the mushroom industry. This is a web-based application, which will have a related mobile application for data capture once the requirements and design of the app have been accepted by the user community. We have designed an approach to tracking the inputs to a crop including material. This will be the focus of the next month or so of development work. We visited three farms to demonstrate the current version of the application and gather further requirements. We have also explored issues related to supply chain management for mushroom crops including the possibility of using blockchain technology to help ensure material traceability for organic crops as well as more general food defense. The literature review revealed that significant strides in the field of supply chain optimization in the agricultural sector, few models address the unique challenges of mushroom and/or organic product supply chains. Our work proceeded with the aim of developing a farm-focused framework for the study of end-to-end decision impacts on the domestic organic mushroom industry. To that effect, a supply chain map was developed based on the supply chain operations reference model and an initial identification of issues of interest and performance metrics was completed. The map, in conjunction with the review of relevant current research, was used to formulate a baseline model and single out areas in need of further study. The analysis revealed four focus areas that integrate multiple issues of interest identified during the mapping exercise. (1) achieving demand fill rate targets while reducing supply chain costs (2) maximizing product quality and eliminating waste from farm to shelf/table; (3) ensuring continuity of supply of essential production inputs; (4) developing a sustainable secondary market strategy for spent mushroom substrate. A baseline enterprise budget for mushroom production has been developed and is being maintained. An economic impact model for the U.S. and Pennsylvania has been developed using 2018 data to use in assessing the economic impacts of mushroom production. Work is underway on investigating the costs associated with product traceability. We have interviewed a major producer about both conventional and organic mushroom production procedures as well as attitudes and opinions regarding the organic market. Time series prices at the retail and shipping point levels for organic and conventional Agaricus mushrooms and the premium associated with organic mushrooms is being maintained. Work continues on identifying organically certified substrates, availability, and price and on documenting costs related to obtaining and maintaining organic certification both for mushroom and substrate material. Investigation continues to estimate the workplace costs associated with immigration policies that affect the availability of labor.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Cloonan, K., Andreadis, S. and Baker, T.C. (2019) Little effect of delayed mating on fecundity or fertility of female fungus gnats, Lycoriella ingenua. Physiol. Entomol. 44: 60-64.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Mazin, M., S. S. Andreadis, N. E. Jenkins, K.R. Cloonan, T. C. Baker and E.G. Rajotte (2019) Activity and distribution of the mushroom phorid fly, Megaselia halterata, in and around commercial mushroom farms. Entomol. Exp. Appl. (DOI) - 10.1111/eea.12777.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Martins et al. Comparing approaches for capturing bacterial assemblages associated with symptomatic (bacterial blotch) and asymptomatic mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) caps
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Osdaghi E, Martins SJ, Sepulveda L, Vieira FR, Pecchia JA, Beyer DM, Bell TH, Yang Y, Hockett KL, Bull CT. 100 Years since Tolaas: Bacterial Blotch of Mushrooms in the 21st Century. Plant Disease
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Aleman, M., Bull, C.T., and Hockett, K.L. 2019. Understanding microbial communities: Single-gene phylogenies and their resolution. Plant Health 2019, Cleveland, Ohio. August 2-7, 2019
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bull et al. Taxing Times Plant Pathogens in a Global Economy, 11th International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP), Boston, 2018 (Invited Plenary).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Martins SJ, Trexler RV, Vieira FR, Pecchia JA, Bell TH, Hockett KL, Bull CT. 2018. Phylogenetic analysis of Pseudomonas sequences obtained from mushroom caps (Agaricus bisporus) with blotch symptoms. 21stPenn State Plant Biology Symposium, pp-105
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Vieira F, Martins S, Trexler R, Pecchia J, Kandel P, Hockett K, Bell T, Bull C. Mycobiome management of Agaricus bisporus targeting green mold (Trichoderma spp.) and blotch (Pseudomonas spp.). NED-APS, University Park, 2019.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
deSoto, J.G. Etiology and epidemiology: interactions of Syzygites megalocarpus and Agaricus bisporus. 2019 MS Dissertation Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Penn State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Beyer, D.M. 2019. USDA-NIFA Organic Research and Extension Initiative Project, 2019 Update. Mushroom News Vol 66 (5): 6-9.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Pecchia, J. and Beyer, D. M., (2018). The Importance of The Trichoderma & Fly Survey. Mushroom News. Avondale, PA. (66) 10:22-23.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Beyer, D. M. and Pecchia, J.A. 2019. Research on Alternative Materials for Compost and Casing - Part I. Mushroom News (67) 8:8-16.
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:North American Organic Mushroom Farmers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Post-doc training in Plant Pathology and Graduate students in Entomology. Undergraduate students in Plant Sciences How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Grower meetings for pesticide credits and IPM training On-farm visits with organic farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue as the project is outlined.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We currently have developed bilingual educational materials in English and Spanish on "Biology and Control of Mushroom Diseases" where bilingual posters were made and distributed to growers. Several bilingual IPM training presentations in both English and in Spanish on "Basic IPM Practices" and "Pest control for organic mushroom farms" are scheduled for the annual conference this fall. Several bio-fungicides have been screened for efficacy against two fungal pathogens. Compost Shield and Pre-stop showed no control of Trichoderma green mold and Myco-Stop exhibited slight control of Lecanicillium dry bubble disease. Two additional bio-fungicides are being tested. Wheat straw and grass hay will be grown and treated with identified herbicides to be used in the composting experiment for 2019. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of two biopesticides, Grandevo and PFR-97, as drench treatments to control mushroom phorid fly larvae in mushroom compost. The active insecticidal agent in Grandevo is the entomopathogenic bacterium Chromobacterium subtsugae and in PFR it is the entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. We converted the requested field application rates to the compost quantity and surface area in our phorid fly rearing cups. Grandevo drench treatment of compost did not significantly reduce fly emergence. Application of PFR as a dry mixture with gypsum on the compost surface had no significant effect on fly emergence. The addition of one or two drench applications of PFR also had no significant impact on fly emergence. Our experiments indicate that the applications of Grandevo and PFR-97 at economic (label recommended rates) to mushroom compost do not significantly reduce the number of phorid flies that emerge. Three organic approved powdered insecticides (EcoVia WD, Cimexa™ and food grade diatomaceous earth) were evaluated for efficacy against adult flies. Exposure to Diatomaceous earth only resulted in 20% mortality of adult flies 24 hours after exposure to the freshly treated mesh, and less than 5% mortality of flies exposed to the treated mesh 30 days after application. The efficacy of Cimexa was 80% 24 hours after exposure to freshly treated mesh but reduced to 40% after 30 days. Ecovia WD was the most effective powdered product, resulting in 100% mortality of flies exposed to freshly treated and 30-day old mesh. Based on these results, field trials in Chester County are underway to determine optimum methods of application of EcoVia WP in mushroom growing rooms. Results from these initial field trails will be provided in the next interim report. In anticipating the use of the sex pheromone that we are nearing the identification of for the fungus gnat, Lycoriella ingenua, we examined whether delayed mating of females caused by mating disruption of this species could reduce fecundity and fertility. We performed extensive experiments delaying the mating of females by from one to seven days. We found that there was no negative effect on female fecundity or fertility when mating was delayed by up to five days. We have made progress in identifying the sex pheromone of the mushroom phorid fly, Megaselia halterata, which differs from the structure identified by Ray Baker and colleagues that was never shown to be behaviorally active. We have successfully extracted pheromone from wild-caught M. halterata females and shown using coupled gas chromatograph/electroantennogram recordings (GC/EAG) that there are several EAG-active peaks using male antennae but not from female antennae. We have performed coupled GC-Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) analyses of these peaks and found two peaks that do not conform to the previously identified sex pheromone of this species. We have worked with Professor Tappey Jones, a synthetic organic chemist at Virginia Military Institute to obtain synthetic samples of the single component that was previously identified. Professor Jones has helped to chemically characterize these other two EAG-active peaks and has begun synthesizing them to eventually provide us with samples that we can perform electrophysiological and behavioral bioassays on. These two compounds have never before been identified from natural substances and are thus new to science. We have developed a web-based infrastructure for capturing and aggregating mushroom crop measurements of pests and disease. We are developing a cross-platform (IOS and Android) app that can work offline to capture crop measurements and integrate with the web-based system. We are researching and writing a review paper investigating the different technology interventions that have been used in mushroom agriculture. We are designing a study to assess the usability and usefulness of the technologies for the above progress. The following economic assessment activities have been completed or currently underway. A baseline enterprise budget forAgaricus mushroom production has been developed. A literature search continues to identify information and studies on organic mushroom production in the U.S. and other major producing countries.A review of studies indicates that more attention has been directed at the costs of production of organic and conventional high-value Shitake (Lentinus edodes) and Oyster (Pleurotus) mushrooms thanAgaricus. This enables us to calculate the premium associated with organic mushrooms. We have trained one undergraduate student in Molecular Taxonomy of the bacterial blotch pathogen and pathogenicity assays for the pathogen. Additionally, we have been working with Dr. John Chikwem of Lincoln University and will be working with his students this fall to isolate bacteriophage from substrates from PA mushroom farms. We have conducted the first isolation-based surveys of the microbiome of healthy and diseased organically grown mushroom caps and are strategizing the 9 additional surveys to optimize pathogen diversity recovered. The basic structure of a deterministic supply optimization model has been drafted based on information collected during the preliminary visit, literature review, and discussions with a supply chain faculty colleague who is also involved in researching production capacity issues in the mushroom industry. The following is a preliminary listing of basic elements of the proposed model, identified at the initial stages of development. This is just a conceptual primer based on general assumptions. Further refinement and validation from stakeholders are needed before proceeding with the final formulation and data gathering. Suggested constraints - The organic mushroom (capacitated) supply planning problem is subject to many constraints across various tiers. For instance, each substrate supplier is limited by the amount of material they can provide in a given period. Also, total production for a time period cannot exceed the capacity of each house, total post-harvesting processing cannot exceed the maximum processing capacity of the facility, and total inventory cannot exceed the capacity of the storage facility. In addition, a minimum fulfillment threshold could be established for each customer, to ensure that no customer is left with zero inventory in cases where there is insufficient demand. Based on feedback during last year's meeting, an additional goal has been added to explore the effects of demand uncertainty on the overall supply chain. The suggested approach for this is a two-stage optimization model, where demand distribution data is used to simulate demand inputs for the deterministic model described above. The aim is to assess the sensitivity of the objective function(s) to changes in downstream demand.
Publications
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