In vitro Assessment of Botanical Compatibility with Agaricus bisporus for Sustainable Disease Management

Button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) cultivation is a significant aspect of the global mushroom industry, the production of fruiting bodies is severely affected by fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens that can have an effect on yield and quality. Botanicals, such as plant extracts, have been reported to possess various bioactive compounds with potential benefits for mushroom growth and disease control. A lab experiment was carried out in the Department of Plant Pathology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate the compatibility of various botanicals viz., Allium sativum (garlic), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Cuminum cyminum (jeera), Mentha spicata (pudina) with Agaricus bisporus in a Completely Randomised Design. In vitro evaluation was carried out using poison food technique at 10, 20 and 30% concentrations and 24, 48 & 72 hours of incubation. The maximum radial growth of Agaricus bisporus was observed in T0-Control (Agaricus bisporus) (17.86 mm), (16.82 mm) and (16.53 mm) and minimum in T3- Cuminum cyminum (jeera) (2.23 mm), (0.98 mm) and (0.39 mm) at 10, 20 and 30 percent concentration respectively. Maximum percentage of inhibition was observed in T3 - Cuminum cyminum (jeera) (87.51 %), (94.11 %) and (98.24 %) at 10, 20 and 30 percent concentration respectively.