Growth interactions betweenPleurotus tuber-regium andSclerotium rolfsii

Abstract

Sclerotium rolfsii, a destructive soil pathogen common in tropical soils, was found to cause stipe rot of the fruit bodies ofPleurotus tuber-regium. The rot occurs only when the pathogen is inoculated into the soil before seeding and before primordial emergence. It caused 100% inhibition of primordia and sporophore formation when the soil was inoculated before seeding and highly reduced yield when the soil was inoculated with the pathogen just before primordial emergence. However, no fruit body rot occurred on the mushroom when the soil was inoculated with the pathogen after primordial emergence from the soil.