Dr. Warwick Gill

Pest and Disease Expert

University of Tasmania

Warwick graduated from the University of Canterbury specialising in the mushroom pathology and undertook postgraduate study at the Tottori Mycological Institute Japan and the Department of Forest Botany at the University of Tokyo investigating mushroom pathology and cultivation. After completing a research fellowship at the University of Tasmania where he studied mushroom cultivation for Huon Valley Mushrooms, Warwick moved on to the farm to fulfill roles as exotic grower, spawn maker and farm manager. In 2013 he joined Judy on the delivery team for MU21007 in which they developed novel and rapid sampling techniques for large porous surfaces such as grow room floors. Warwick subsequently took the lead in MU16003 (pest and disease management and research services) with Judy and has again taken the lead with Judy in delivering current pest and disease project MU21007 (pest and disease management for the Australian mushroom industry).

Judy Allan

Australian Mushroom Expert

Mushroom Pest and Disease Research Services

Judy grew up on a farm and went to Agricultural College. Her career in the mushroom industry commenced in 1982 as an Advisory Officer in NSW Dept. Agriculture before she resigned in 1988 and became a private consultant working at both farm and industry level. Since 1992 Judy has been project leader or team member in multiple funded projects including  Mushroom Picking Practices, Training, Pest and Disease Management.

In recent years her work has polarised towards Mushroom Pest and Disease Management. She has served on many industry committees, was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the AMGA in 2003 has been a member of the AMGA Board of Directors 2021-2022.

MU21007 – Pest and disease management for the Australian mushroom industry

Numbers govern all aspects of mushroom cultivation from Phase I right through to the retail outlet. Critical decisions are made based on data collected from all steps in the growing process, with the aspiration of achieving yields exceeding 35kg m-2. Similarly, effective pest and disease management is also driven by numbers. In this presentation, we will draw attention to some on-farm IPDM practices by examining some of the numbers associated with pests, pathogens and their interactions with the crop.