Mushroom Production: Integration of Novel Bacteriophage Biocontrol Technology

The UK mushroom market is facing fierce import competition from EU growers and together with rising operating costs, the number of UK growers and their outputs are declining. Imports now make up more than half of the UK marketed total. The UK mushroom industry needs to gain a competitive advantage and this application aims to provide this through novel control of the most serious bacterial disease of mushrooms; bacterial blotch, responsible for crop losses of up to 10%, representing losses of approx. £20 m p.a. This feasiblity study will examine the potential of an innovative, natural antimicrobial technology (based on highly-specific, safe antibacterial agents: 'bacteriophage') to reduce the incidence of this disease, through developing treatments for the growing mushrooms themselves and also, for the compost and peat material in which they grow and which are likely to be major sources of the bacterial pathogens.