Mushrooms are known for several nutritional and medicinal benefits and are cultivated worldwide. Several fungal contaminants of mushrooms have been serving as the major restraining factor in the growing mushroom industry for a long time. Fungal contaminants like Trichoderma spp., Mycogone spp., Lecanicillium spp., Cladobotryum spp., Coprinus spp., Sependonium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii, and Cephalothecum roseum among many, are found to infect mushroom crops at different stages from spawn run period to maturation of fruiting bodies. These contaminants may reduce yield and/or degrade the quality of fruiting bodies of the mushroom causing economic losses. These contaminants are usually peculiar in terms of their symptomatology on the substrates, disease cycle, epidemiological requirements, and yield losses.  Most of these contaminants come from poorly sterilized substrates. Several sterilization techniques like steam sterilization, hot water sterilization, alkalinization, bleaching, and chemical sterilization can be employed to eliminate pre-existing contaminants and each technique has its own relative advantage over others. Besides, biological control involving botanicals and live antagonists can also be used as prophylactic sterilant or as therapeutic sprays. Biological control measures are friendly to the environment and human health. Unlike chemical fungicides (used as sterilant or spray), biological control measures don’t inhibit mushroom mycelial growth and even don’t raise the problem of pesticide resistance in pathogens. Roguing out of infected mushroom fruiting bodies or beds, mushroom house sanitation, and management of vector population are also equally important in preventing the spread of the fungal diseases of mushrooms. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(2): 80-93

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is a devastating disease of citrus that has decimated several citrus orchards throughout the world. The disease is associated with three species of unculturable and phloem-limited bacteriae, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, Candidatus Liberibacter africanus and Candidatus Liberibacter americanus. The most common species of bacteria found in Nepal is Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus which is transmitted by an insect vector, Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri). This disease has been detected in several economically important citrus production areas of Nepal, which resulted in heavy yield loss. No cure for the disease has been discovered yet and it is essential to practice proper management strategies to maintain citrus health and sustain citrus production under HLB pressure. Several disease management approaches such as pathogen-free nursery establishment, use of disease tolerant rootstock cultivars, proper irrigation and nutrient supply, removal of HLB affected trees, and control of psyllid with frequent insecticide application are widely practiced throughout the world. This review article highlights the characteristics of the citrus greening disease and its insect vector and gives insights into their management techniques. Several technologically advanced options available to minimize the HLB infection might not be feasible currently in Nepal due to economic and topographic constraints. This article also aims to bring into focus the cost-effective methods that growers in Nepal can practice to mitigate the impact of HLB disease in their citrus orchards. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(4): 227-238.

The Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin is an important soil pathogen that attacks brassicaceae family of plants. The ability of pathogen to survive in soil for many years as a resting structure even in the absence of suitable host has increased its threat by making it more devastating. Lower effectiveness of treatments applied so far and failure to completely eradicate the disease once it enters the field has posed more problems. The study was conducted at a disease infected field in Sidhuwa, Dhankuta. It was focused on the effectiveness of different cultural and biological treatments against clubroot disease under field conditions. The treatments; lime, combination of lime and vermicompost, Effective Microorganisms (EM) solution and Trichoderma viride were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated four times. The yield and yield attributing parameters and clubroot scale were recorded at the time of harvest. Values like Disease Incidence, Disease Severity Index and Disease Control Percentage were calculated based on clubroot scale value. The treatments showed no significant influence on vegetative parameters of the plants and on disease incidence. However, the combined treatment of lime and vermicompost was found to be most effective regarding disease severity and disease control i.e. the least Disease Severity Index (31.25%) and highest Disease Control Percentage (50.94%) compared to the control were obtained from the combined treatment of lime and vermicompost. Effective Microorganisms showed the highest disease severity. The combination of lime and vermicompost used as a treatment yielded highest marketable head weight (1.779 kg) and head diameter (19.90 cm).

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