A SELECTIVE MEDIUM FOR VERTICILLIUM-FUNGICOLA

A chemically defined, selective agar medium containing raffinose, an a ntibiotic, mineral salts, dyes, and fungicides was developed for isola ting Verticillium fungicola from mushroom casing soil, debris in mushr oom production rooms and on farm premises, flies, and mushroom sporoph ores. Colonies are visible within 7 days following incubation at 24-de grees-C. Monitoring the efficacy of sanitation and hygiene programmes combined with timely fungicide applications will improve the capabilit y of mushroom growers to manage verticillium disease, while reducing d ependence on fungicides.