MUSHTV · EU Title of project: Solutions for the mushroom industry to emerging disease threats from Trichoderma and Virus

The mushroom industry SME AGs across Europe have come together to request the main research providers of applied mushroom research in Europe to conduct research on Trichoderma and Virus, two major problems for the industry. Disease control has been compromised by the withdrawal of key pesticides and disinfectants by the EU in recent years, such as the withdrawal of approval for formaldehyde as a disinfectant and carbendazim fungicide for Trichoderma control. The Mushroom SME AGs want to know what their members must do to prevent and / or control outbreaks of Trichoderma and Virus. Disease control must now be based on a sustainable integrated pest management system (IPM). IPM focuses on combining (i) improved hygiene procedures (ii) knowledge of how individual diseases and pests spread within and between crops (epidemiology), (iii) improved diagnostics and (iv) optimum use of available products to control and reduce the incidence of disease.This project aims to provide research-based solutions for the mushroom industry to deal with these two relatively new major diseases affecting production. Application of the solutions developed by this project to the European mushroom industry will reduce crop losses and increase efficiency and competitiveness. During the project we will (1) generate technical research-based information on how Trichoderma and MVX grow, survive and spread in mushroom compost in order to identify the weak links in the chain and the steps needed to strengthen them; (2) screen and evaluate alternative disinfectant and biocontrol products for use in disease prevention and control programmes; (3) identify, characterise and quantify the presence of pathogens on mushroom farms and compost facilities across Europe over a period of up to 12 months, using the most up to date technologies; (4) work towards identifying diagnostics service provider(s) who will offer new diagnostic tests, developed during the project, to SME AG members; (5) compile key results into Technical Factsheets for SME AGs to distribute to their members and (6) hold seminars, workshops and conferences organised by SME AGs for their members. In the region of 300+ SME mushroom growers and composters will benefit from the results and this will lead to reduced disease incidence and associated costs savings among a large group of SMEs.