Identification and in-vitro Management of Diseases, Moulds and Pests of Calocybe indica

Calocybe india is robust, fleshy, milky white in colour and umbrella like structure called as milky mushroom. The main obstacle for increasing production of milky mushrooms in West Bengal is frequent contamination of beds with micro flora while growing the same. The experiment was conducted with a view to developing a suitable management practice against the competitor moulds of milky mushroon in an eco-friendly manner. These were identified by regular inspection in the laboratory. Five fungi and one bacterium were infectant to the spawn and culture tubes. Green moulds viz., Trichoderma sp., Penicilluum sp. and Aspergillus sp. were predominant in spawn and culture tubes. However, Penicilluum sp. infested the most followed by inky caps (Coprinus sp.), and abnormalities due to accumulation of CO₂ in mushroom beds. There was also infestation of saprophagous nematodes viz., Rhabditis. A mixed infestation of Coprinus sp. along with insects (i.e., phorid fly) was also noticed in the beds. Chemicals, Bavistin 75 ppm with Formalin 500 ppm was found to be the most effective for reducing the mycelial growth of four contaminants (viz., Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., Coprinus sp. and Penicilium sp.) from 78.57 to 83.33% and suppressed the mycelium growth of Calocybe indica (13.33%). The extract of Azdirachtus indica (neem) showed minimum growth inhibition to mycelium of milky mushroom (4.4%) and exhibited maximum (51.19 to 68.23%) inhibitory effect to the mycelium of the said moulds fungi and differ significantly from all other treatments. Thus, application of Bavistin 75 ppm with Formalin 500 ppm and the extract of Azdirachtus indica (neem) are the effective chemicals and phyto-extracts to manage the observed infestation of competitor moulds and diseases in cultivation of milky mushrooms.