Tyrophagus putrescentiae as causative agent of dry bubble disease and green mould disease in Agaricus bisporus

A study was conducted to assess the role of Tyrophagus putrescentiae in transmission of disease. Verticillium sp. and Trichoderma sp. are causative agents of dry bubble and green mould disease, respectively in mushrooms. 10 pairs of T. putrescentiae were released on V. fungicola and T. harzianum culture plates under aseptic condition. T. putrescentiae started feeding as soon as they were released on culture plates. A peak population (47.40 Mites), (60.80 Mites) was recorded after 12 days and 14 days. After 14 days, 15 pairs of T. putrescentiae were released from V. fungicola and T. harzianum infected plates to A. bisporus culture plates under aseptic conditions. After few days brownish mouldy growth shown by V. fungicola, colour appearing white to pale brown and Trichoderma sp. led to complete green mouldish growth on A. bisporus culture. The mite number significantly increased with increase in observation period till 14th day. At this stage peak in the population on both fungus species were recorded 138 and 131.21 mites respectively.