Exploring the Hidden Threats: A Comprehensive Study on Incidence and Insect Pest Diversity on Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) in Kashmir, India
Mehreen Anees
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Asma Sherwani
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Malik Mukhtar *
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Tariq Sufi
Division of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Horticulture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Saima Maqsood
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Sobiya Zahoor
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Iqra Ali
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
Tahmina Mushtaq
Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.Division of Entomology, Mushroom Research and Training Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar,190025, J&K, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In recent years, mushroom farming has gained popularity across the globe as the enterprise assists in transforming agricultural wastes into highly healthy nutritional foods. However, mushrooms are affected adversely by a large number of biotic and abiotic agents. Among the biotic agents, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, insects and mites cause damage to mushrooms directly or indirectly posing serious threats to their cultivation. Kashmir valley is one of the most promising regions for the cultivation of mushrooms, therefore, a study was carried out to document the insect pest complex infesting button mushroom and to quantify the pest incidence at different locations (SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Budgam, Baramulla and Pulwama) of the Kashmir valley. The study revealed that various insect pests viz., sciarid fly (Lycoriella castanescens), picture winged fly (Physiphora sericea), springtail (Achorutes armatus), mould mite (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and flour mite (Acarus siro) were found infesting button mushroom in different months of the year. Further, the study also witnessed the overall incidence of different pests was highest (75 per cent) at Budgam, followed by an incidence of 70 per cent at Baramulla, 68 per cent at Pulwama, while the lowest incidence of 63.80 per cent at SKUAST-K, Shalimar; besides, the pest incidence was maximum in the months of July and August with highest and lowest incidence of sciarid flies and mites, respectively.
Keywords: Abiotic agents, button mushroom, pest complex, per cent incidence