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Molecular Markers for Detecting a Wide Range of Trichoderma spp. That Might Potentially Cause Green Mold in Pleurotus eryngii

Summary

This research developed a new molecular testing method to detect harmful fungi that cause green mold disease in commercially grown king oyster mushrooms. The test can identify multiple species of the fungus Trichoderma that damage mushroom crops, even at very low levels of contamination. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps mushroom farmers detect contamination earlier, leading to better crop protection – Could result in more stable mushroom supplies and pricing for consumers – Reduces crop losses and food waste in commercial mushroom production – Enables more efficient and targeted use of disease control measures – Supports sustainable cultivation of nutritious specialty mushrooms

Background

Green mold caused by various Trichoderma species is a major epidemic affecting Pleurotus mushroom cultivation. Pleurotus eryngii (king oyster mushroom) is widely consumed in East Asia and growing in popularity in Europe and North America due to its flavor and nutritional value. While many mushroom farms have good sanitation systems, diseases like green mold remain serious threats to production quality and stability.

Objective

To develop rapid molecular markers specific for detecting Trichoderma species that potentially cause green mold in Pleurotus eryngii cultivation, and to investigate the pathogenicity of different Trichoderma species collected from mushroom farms and culture collections.

Results

The dominant isolate was identified as Trichoderma pleuroticola. All tested Trichoderma species showed pathogenicity, causing symptoms like soaked mycelia with red-brown pigment and retarded mycelium regeneration. The developed primer set (TDP-F and TDP-R) specifically detected only Trichoderma species with no cross-reactivity with edible mushrooms. Detection limits were 500 fg, 50 fg, and 5 fg for different species, with a pathogen-to-host ratio detection limit of approximately 1:10,000.

Conclusion

The developed molecular markers TDP-F and TDP-R can effectively detect multiple Trichoderma species that cause green mold in P. eryngii cultivation. The high sensitivity and specificity of these markers make them valuable tools for early detection and management of green mold contamination in commercial mushroom production.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1080/12298093.2020.1785754
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