PhD program to study viruses associated with Agaricus mushrooms in Australia (MU22003)

What's it all about?

This project supports a PhD program to investigate viruses associated with Agaricus mushrooms and improve understanding of their impact on quality and yield.

By addressing the diversity and prevalence of viruses associated with disease in Australian mushrooms, this project will provide growers with a greater understanding of the threat of introduction into their farms from within Australia or overseas.

The research includes:

• Surveys to characterise and determine the prevalence of mushroom viruses associated with disease on-farm and in diseased or asymptomatic wild Agaricus species.
  
  
• Testing of historical and naturalised/wild mushrooms from herbaria across Australia to develop a timeline of when the introduction of viruses may have occurred and the presence of novel viruses that may threaten production.
  
  
• Development of a grading system to determine mushrooms' health and whether symptoms can indicate what viruses/pathogens may be present.
  
  
• Development of in-field and laboratory-based diagnostics that target viruses associated with diseases in Australian mushrooms and exotic viruses associated with disease overseas.