The Population Dynamics of Various Pseudomonas Pathogens in Different Mushroom Types

Abstract

Bacterial blotch is a complex of diseases that results in spotting and discoloration in a variety of mushroom species. In Pennsylvania and other US regions, it is one of the most important diseases to study due to its wide impact on commercial mushroom production. As of now, we know that at least 11 species of Pseudomonas cause blotch disease in Pennsylvanian mushrooms. In this study, we are researching whether the virulence of previously identified blotch pathogens remains consistent on a variety of cultivated mushrooms over time. We want to determine whether there are differences in the virulence of these Pseudomonas strains on one type of mushroom and whether a certain strain is more virulent than the other. The goal of this research is to increase our understanding on the mechanisms of these pathogens so that management strategies can be improved, thus reducing the impact of disease on the yield and quality of commercial mushrooms. Four different mushroom varieties were inoculated with four different Rifampicin resistant strains and a control buffer. Pathogenicity tests were conducted to collect data for bacterial growth, which was analyzed through statistical distribution. The results indicated susceptibility of the Oyster and King Bolete mushrooms to all the Pseudomonas strains, as they allowed growth of bacteria in the tissue. On the other hand, both the Maitake and Shiitake varieties, recognized medicinal mushrooms, were not susceptible and displayed no physical characteristics of infection. This raises questions about the potential of utilizing these medicinal mushrooms as a treatment for blotch disease in other mushroom types, which can be further studied in future work.

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