One minute with Joy Clarke - Biological control of mushroom disease
Joy Clarke, a Walsh Scholar PhD student at Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, discusses alternatives to chemical fungicides for controlling mushroom diseases. To hear the full story, come along to our 60 Minute Science event on 15th November.
Find out more about the event and register here
Diseases of crops are usually treated with chemical fungicides. Although their use is highly regulated and controlled, some of these fungicides can be toxic to the environment. They can also be harmful to our health. Some are no longer effective due to fungicide resistance and, because of this, are no longer approved for use.
In our research we’re looking at alternatives to chemical fungicides to control mushroom diseases. One option we’re examining is the use of biological control treatments. These involve using beneficial bacterial strains, which we source from the environment. We’re working with a novel bacterial strain that can compete with disease-causing microorganisms and prevent their growth.
These biocontrol treatments represent a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fungicide use. Our research will tell us if they can be as effective. We’re carrying out large scale trials, where we mimic the industrial growing process as closely as we can and compare the efficacy of both fungicide and biocontrol treatments. So far, we’ve shown that this novel bacterial strain has promise as a potential biocontrol treatment.
Teagasc invites you to join us for an unmissable series of virtual and in-person events for Science Week 2022 as part of ‘The Festival of Farming and Food’ November 13-20, 2022.
The festival is an educational, inspiring and fun week, packed full of amazing science activities, experiences, talks and exhibitions, for children and grown-ups alike.
We’d love to hear from you. Be part of The Festival of Farming and Food journey on Social Media:
@Teagasc @ScienceWeek #FestFarmFood #ScienceWeek