Please note that the publisher nowadays only prints this book on-demand and all the images (despite the title) are in black and white. The original print run that had colour images in it has sold out.
The production of mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) is a major, world-wide, highly mechanised process. Healthy crops are essential if yields, quality and profitability are to be maintained. Pests and diseases are a major cause of crop losses and this book covers their recognition, biology and control. New pests and diseases are described together with changes in the management of pest and pathogen populations. The book is fully up-to-date on the important cultural changes that have occurred in recent years. New methods of crop production, the bulk handling of materials, changes in casing type, the more effective use of environmental controls, biological methods of control, the avoidance of environmental pollution, and the reduced use of pesticides, are all covered. Many of the cultural changes described influence the incidence of pests and diseases.
The book is essentially for growers and those closely connected with the culture of the crop wherever it is grown. For those wishing to put the information into practice, the book contains checklists for pest and disease control and also essential hygiene operations. 'A Colour Handbook of Mushroom Pest and Disease Control' is well-illustrated, easy to use, and will increase the readers understanding of pests and diseases of the crop. It will contribute towards the production of good yields and high quality, thereby increasing profitability.
Preface, 1. Mushroom growing, 2. Disorders - Symptoms, Causes, and Identification, 3. Effective Pest and Disease Control, 4. Fungal diseases, 5. Bacterial diseases, 6. Virus diseases, 7. Moulds in mushroom crops, 8. Pests, 9. Abiotic disorders. Glossary, Index.
... a comprehensive book, updating us on the familiar pests and diseases, describing the new ones, as well as introducing us to the changes in management of pests and diseases... a very good guide. Mushroom Business