Phalaenopsis is cultivated using mainly bark as a substrate, in some cases additional material is added like sphagnum or foam. During cultivation a sudden fungal growth can be determinated in the substrate. In some cases only primordial are visible but even mushrooms develop on the substrate. Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, the yellow parasol or the flower pot parasol, is observed in Phalaenopsis. The project was funded by the Product Board of Horticulture.
Damage is mainly cosmetic. There is no or hardly any interference with Phalaenopsis, plants are vital, develop well and have a long shelf life. An excessive growth of fungal hyphe can turn the bark into a hydrophobic substrate. In this research the biology of L. birnbaumii is studied. Especially the influence of different parameters on the biology of this fungus is studied. On top of this the effect of plan protection products are studied to observe the effect on the fungus directly as well as in growing substrate. The development of this fungus will stop if treated with a fungicide like Ortiva (azoxystrobine) and if a high dosage of the fungicide Switch (fludioxonil en cyprodinil) is used. These results cannot be repeated under practical circumstances. Therefore we are not able to draw any conclusions about the effect of the previously mentioned fungicides in substrate. The outcome of this research, the hypotheses and the experience this gathered during this experiment ask for more research in the near future.
This report is only available in Dutch: www.tuinbouw.nl