Mana Mushrooms

Pennsylvania mushroom producers have more insect, disease, and weather-related problems than do California growers. Risks include diseases like bacterial blotch, mummy disease, LaFrance disease, verticillium, green mold, mildew, and lipstick.

Growers are susceptible to brown-outs during the hot summer. If power utilities reduce voltage during periods of heavy electricity use, mushroom growers lose the use or effectiveness of air conditioners.

Most of Pennsylvania's mushroom farms employ non-union workers, as opposed to California (Phelps). There are approximately 12 farms located along the coast of California, with the heaviest concentration in the San Jose area. The largest producer in California is Monterey Mushrooms, which has three farms. Campbell Soups owns one farm in California. Farms in California tend to be among the largest in the industry. California growers mostly produce their mushrooms using the tray system. Only two big bed systems exist in the state (Hordness). While the industry is young relative to the Pennsylvania industry, no new houses have been built in California since the mid-1970's (Hordness). The agaricus mushroom is the most common variety grown in California. There are very few specialty growers in the state, although it is the major producer of the enoki variety.

Sciarid flies and phorid flies are the major insect pests of mushrooms. Mana Mushrooms will address this issue using tree frogs, which are an indicator of ecosystemic health, in combination with black-light integrated vortex-fan enhanced bug zappers, sticky mats, and other measures that allow us to maintain the highest possible standards for crop purity, as we prefer not to contaminate our crops with chemicals. Where possible, we intend to grow certified organic or organic.

Diseases are controlled by exactly regulating the climate in the mushroom house. If detected early in the infection, some bacterial and fungal diseases can be controlled with management practices.

Bacterial Diseases
The major bacterial diseases affecting mushrooms are bacterial blotch and mummy disease. Both can be controlled through adjustment to the climate of the mushroom house and proper sanitation and hygiene procedures.

Viruses
Viruses are less of a problem for mushroom growers than for other vegetable producers. LaFrance disease is the main viral infection affecting mushrooms, and its presence has diminished in recent decades.

Fungal Diseases
Many of the fungi that affect mushroom production are soil-borne. They are spread through dust, insects, equipment, and on pickers' clothing. Fungicides are available for most fungal diseases. The two most widely used fungicides, Vorlex and Bravo, are not registered for use in every state. Neither chemical completely eradicates fungal diseases, but rather decrease the incidence of disease, by a maximum of 30 percent (Wuest).

Green mold (Trichoderma harzianum) is new to the U.S. mushroom industry, and the cause of the fungus is unknown. It has caused losses of about 30 percent in crops in Pennsylvania. At the end of a crop, the room is sterilized with steam, and sanitizing agents are used on all surfaces. Worker movement between rooms and houses is also restricted to control the disease. These precautions have lowered the spread of the disease. There is, however, no known cure for green mold.