Biomanagement of nematodes in Agaricus bisporus by Fictor composticola and its compatibility with NSKWE

Biomanagement of Aphelenchoides swarupi in white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) was done by Fictor composticola in different inoculum levels and at different stages of mushroom cultivation, like, prey and predator at spawning, prey and predator at casing, prey at casing and predator at spawning, prey at spawning and predator at casing with uninoculated control. The treatments where A. swarupi was inoculated at spawning, the final population was higher than the treatments where it was inoculated at casing. The yield was significant when prey was inoculated at casing. Similarly, the spawn run was good when A. swarupi was inoculated at casing and poor when it was inoculated at spawning and Fictor composticola at casing. Reproduction factor of A. swarupi was maximum when it was inoculated at spawning and predator at casing but minimum when predator at spawning and prey at casing. Even at the lowest concentration (1 %) of neem seed kernel water extract (NSKWE), caused 99.5 % nematode mortality after 24 h. Hence, its compatibility can not be recommended with F. composticola for the management of mushroom nematodes.