Introducing the MUSHRoom with Dr Emma Beckett
In this episode, MushroomLink’s Dr Jenny Ekman chats with Dr Emma Beckett about the Hort Innovation project MU22006, Online resource for mushroom health & nutrition science for healthcare professionals.
Emma and the team at FoodIQ Global (Formerly Nutrition Research Australia – NRAUS) are creating the ‘go to place’ for credible and authoritative information on the health benefits of mushrooms. By showcasing the unique health benefits of mushrooms to health professionals, the project hopes to increase the number of practitioners ‘prescribing’ Agaricus mushrooms as a source of nutrition.
Emma discusses the value of a reliable resource created for health professionals by health professionals that goes beyond marketing grabs.
The website or ‘MUSHRoom’ will be a living resource that will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. By consolidating all credible information in once place, knowledge gaps will become clear and can be prioritised for further research.
To find out more visit the Hort Innovation project page here: https://www.horticulture.com.au/growers/help-your-business-grow/research-reports-publications-fact-sheets-and-more/mu22006/
Visit the FoodIQ Global website here: https://www.foodiq.global/
Cost of living, consumer behaviour and the implications for the mushroom category
Hort Innovation's Consumer Insights Manager Wendy Hubbard speaks on the cost of living, mushroom category performance, consumer behaviour and the implications for the mushroom industry.
Wendy is a seasoned insights professional with over two decades of experience in the consumer insights industry. Her expertise lies in identifying opportunities and challenges using multiple data sets and transforming these insights into compelling narratives that drive business growth.
She is currently the Insights Manager at Hort Innovation, where she manages consumer insights initiatives for the Australian horticulture industry.
Investigating non-synthetic ‘biorationals’ for pest and disease control
Disclaimer: This webinar contains mention of some products which are not registered with the APVMA, have not all been tested for use in mushrooms and therefore may not be suitable for mushroom growing. The information presented is for educational purposes only.
Dr Aimee McKinnon (Agriculture Victoria) is a research scientist leading the Hort Innovation funded project MU22000: Non-synthetic alternatives to complement pest and disease management practices in mushrooms.
The objective of the research is to review and evaluate available and potential biorational agents and formulations for their potential to control key pests and diseases of commercial mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus).
In this webinar, Aimee first outlined what biorational agents are, discussed what options are available in Australia, and presented how the experimental research is being conducted to assess novel biorationals for efficacy and compatibility with mushroom growing.
Aimee has expertise working with insect pathogens and with beneficial soil microorganisms for plant health. She has experience in developing molecular diagnostic methods and in biological control of insect pests for IPM.
This webinar was made possible through the Hort Innovation project MU20003: Mushroom industry communications program. It has been funded through the Mushroom research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.
Other Resources
MushroomLink Bulletin November 2023
In this edition:
Marketing webinar: Registrations open for the first MushroomLink marketing webinar
Marketing campaign: Miguel Maestre on the radio waves
Feature article: Bringing mushrooms to centre stage in the Australian Dietary Guidelines
Watch and listen: What makes mushrooms so special? Revisit our podcast and webinar with nutritionist and scientist Dr Flavia Fayet-Moore and Dr Damien Belobrajdic
Factsheet: Mushroom nutrition and health messages
Case study: Monaghan Mushrooms
Research from around the world: Mushroom mathematics
Miguel Maestre radio spots
Miguel Maestre - aka the crazy bull - is enthusiastically promoting mushrooms on radio. The marketing team at Hort Innovation recently recorded the segments, which will be broadcast across Australia.
Listen to the six segments below.
Marketing activity aplenty
Off the back of a successful marketing campaign from July to September, the Hort Innovation marketing team is now overseeing the roll-out of activities for the remainder of this calendar year.
The FY24 quarter one campaign – involving radio, outdoor advertising panels, social media, shopper communications and a sampling program – aimed to inspire people to consume more mushrooms daily, by adding the Mighty Mushie to everyday meals.
Results from that campaign included:
· Metro and regional outdoor advertising reaching 3,707,367 adult grocery buyers
· Radio advertising reaching 3,581,474 adult grocery buyers
· Social media advertising reaching 8,419,254 adult grocery buyers
· Interim results for shopper communications (August only) showing the Woolworths campaign brought 24,000 ‘new to brand’ customers, generating $72,500 in sales during the campaign period.
The FY24 quarter two (October-December) integrated campaign is now well underway, involving radio, outdoor advertising, online shopper communications, social media and public relations activities.
Central to the current campaign is the creative idea of ‘Reinvent the Meal’ which brings to life the brand truth that ‘mighty Mushrooms can add a whole lot more flavour to ordinary meals’.
New recipes and visual assets are being unveiled throughout the campaign period to showcase delicious everyday meals and to inspire consumers to cook with mushrooms.
Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre is also taking centre stage during the campaign, having already headlined the Mushroom Festival in Melbourne, crossing live from Costa Mushrooms in Victoria and cooking a delicious recipe for the Studio 10 television program, and generally promoting mushroom month in October.
The summer edition of MushroomLink magazine will contain more information about all the mushroom marketing activities and achievements.
MushroomLink Bulletin October 2023
In this edition:
Magazine: Spring issue out now
Feature article: Changing how we look at mushrooms
Doctor Agaricus: Ventilation within the compost matrix
MLMRU update
Research from around the world
Upcoming webinar – registrations open
Food safety free testing wrapping up
Marketing update
Mushroom fund annual report
MushroomLink Magazine Issue 06
We hope you enjoy this issue, with its usual mix of R&D news, the latest in technology from around the world, and pest and disease updates.
You can subscribe to an e-copy of MushroomLink magazine here or view previous issues here
Click here to download the magazine
Articles:
Bacteria vs Fungus; Using Bacillus to control Wet Bubble Disease
Wet bubble is a widely distributed disease caused by the fungal parasite Hypomyces perniciosus (formerly Mycogone perniciosus). Recently it has been found that related pathogens, including M. rosea and M. xinjiangensis, can also cause symptoms.
Wet bubble is a widely distributed disease caused by the fungal parasite Hypomyces perniciosus (formerly Mycogone perniciosus). Recently it has been found that related pathogens, including M. rosea and M. xinjiangensis, can also cause symptoms.
Testing the effects of nitrogen
Project MU17004 (Optimising nitrogen transformations in mushroom production), led by Professor Michael Kertesz at the University of Sydney, aims to understand the influence of soil microbes on nitrogen transformations occurring in compost and casing during mushroom production. The objective of this ongoing project is to optimise nitrogen management, reducing losses from compost and improving yield and quality.
Project MU17004 (Optimising nitrogen transformations in mushroom production), led by Professor Michael Kertesz at the University of Sydney, aims to understand the influence of soil microbes on nitrogen transformations occurring in compost and casing during mushroom production. The objective of this ongoing project is to optimise nitrogen management, reducing losses from compost and improving yield and quality.
Bringing mushrooms from the shadows to centre stage in the Australian Dietary Guidelines
In the world of nutrition, even the most mundane details can have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing. Enter the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) - a comprehensive blueprint designed by the
Australian Government to steer us towards better dietary choices.
In the world of nutrition, even the most mundane details can have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing. Enter the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) - a comprehensive blueprint designed by the Australian Government to steer us towards better dietary choices.
Balancing air and moisture within compost
What is the academic/technical knowledge around ventilation within the compost matrix during cropping and its effect on mycelium growth and mushroom yield? We know through experience that the 'right' structure and density of the compost in the growing containers is important, but we have no measures or even consistent data about the goals we are aiming for.
What is the academic/technical knowledge around ventilation within the compost matrix during cropping and its effect on mycelium growth and mushroom yield? We know through experience that the 'right' structure and density of the compost in the growing containers is important, but we have no measures or even consistent data about the goals we are aiming for.
Monaghan Mushrooms
Monaghan Mushrooms is one of the largest mushroom-only companies in the world. Started by Ronnie Wilson in the early 1980s, it has grown to a company of more than 3,000 staff, with composting yards and growing facilities in Ireland, the UK and Canada. Like many mushroom businesses, Monaghan Mushrooms is facing the dual challenge of increasing productivity while also improving sustainability. To achieve this, the company invests strongly in Research and Development (R&D), and are heavily invested in the search for an alternative to peat.
Monaghan Mushrooms is one of the largest mushroom-only companies in the world. Started by Ronnie Wilson in the early 1980s, it has grown to a company of more than 3,000 staff, with composting yards and growing facilities in Ireland, the UK and Canada. Like many mushroom businesses, Monaghan Mushrooms is facing the dual challenge of increasing productivity while also improving sustainability. To achieve this, the company invests strongly in Research and Development (R&D), and are heavily invested in the search for an alternative to peat.
My pesticide doesn’t work!
When applied correctly, pesticides are a very effective component of a mushroom farm’s IPDM (Integrated Pest and Disease Management) strategy, rapidly reducing pest and pathogen populations. When a pesticide seems no longer to work, or appears to work less effectively than before, it is very concerning. The purchase of pesticides is a significant expense for mushroom farms particularly when faced with increasing costs across the board. It is important from an economic perspective that pesticide effectiveness is optimised and that growers see a good return on their investment.
When applied correctly, pesticides are a very effective component of a mushroom farm’s IPDM (Integrated Pest and Disease Management) strategy, rapidly reducing pest and pathogen populations. When a pesticide seems no longer to work, or appears to work less effectively than before, it is very concerning. The purchase of pesticides is a significant expense for mushroom farms particularly when faced with increasing costs across the board. It is important from an economic perspective that pesticide effectiveness is optimised and that growers see a good return on their investment.
Increasing the efficiency of picking and packing with GTL technology
GTL Europe’s tilting shelf harvesting system is designed to improve the efficiency of picking by allowing pickers to see the bed and use both hands to harvest mushrooms. It also takes trimming and packing out of the growing room. The system has now been refined further, with new tools soon coming online for both brand new growing rooms and those wanting to retrofit an existing farm.
MushroomLink has written previously about GTL Europe’s tilting shelf harvesting system. The system is designed to improve the efficiency of picking by allowing pickers to see the bed and use both hands to harvest mushrooms. It also takes trimming and packing out of the growing room. The system has now been refined further, with new tools soon coming online for both brand new growing rooms and those wanting to retrofit an existing farm.
MushroomLink Bulletin September 2023
In this edition:
Feature: Can mushrooms really help lower our cholesterol?
Event wrap: Mushroom production workshop
Mushroom Fund Annual Investment Plans 2023/24
Podcast: Global perspectives from Erik de Groot
Podcast: Geoff Price and the American mushroom industry - part two
Resource: MU16003 Fact sheet: Internal Stipe Necrosis
Upcoming webinar
Shape the future of the mushroom industry - EOIs
Horticulture women leadership courses, scholarships open
Project MU22010 – Mushroom International Study Tours – Inbound and Outbound
Part of the in- and outbound International Study Tours project, the inaugural Mushroom Production workshop, facilitated by Erik de Groot, was held in Adelaide and Sydney at the end of August
Figure 1: Robert Tolson at Premier Mushrooms explaining the room-filling procedure and machinery on his farm (Umberto Calvo)
US-based international consultant and mushroom expert Erik de Groot delivered the 2-day workshops to industry members eager to learn.
Elbows deep in compost and mushrooms since his childhood in the Netherlands, Erik’s knowledge and experience range from compost production to harvesting and everything in between, with clients spread across five continents.
With the aim to educate and inspire the Australian mushroom industry and promote collaborative problem solving, attendees were asked to work together in small groups. Participants were split into these groups depending on their role (compost production, growing, harvesting) to encourage conversation within their areas of expertise and generate new ideas and solutions to current issues.
The first day of the workshop focussed on compost production, phase II and III compost, tunnel and growing room filling, and the optimal conditions of the various stages (temperature, humidity, ventilation). The attendees involved in compost production were the most active throughout the first day, while growers and harvest managers were able to better understand the dynamics of the phases that precede their entry into the crop cycle.
Figure 2: Attendees were invited to "have a feel" of good quality peat with adequate moisture (Umberto Calvo)
Day 1 also included a farm visit to Costa Monarto in South Australia and Premier Mushrooms in the Hawkesbury, with the farm staff showing the facilities, machinery, and explaining the various steps of their mushroom production and management.
The second day was centred on growing and harvesting practises to optimise yield and quality, with a particular focus on harvest efficiency and planning.
At the end of the session each group had to elaborate on the actions they were planning on taking back to their farm with the newly acquired knowledge from the workshop.
The event was very well received by all attendees, both thanks to the broad scope of themes and the opportunity to expand their network vertically with people from their own farm and peers across different farms.
The opportunity to network with colleagues from different parts of one’s own workplace was viewed as an important outcome. Communication and collaboration throughout every step of the process, from compost production to growing and harvesting, can have a big impact on the overall result, and ultimately determine the farm’s and farmer’s bottom line.
At the end of the two-day workshop the participants were asked to complete an evaluation and suggestion form, which will assist AMGA as it plans the next events. Attention will be placed on the topics and issues identified by the Australian mushroom industry as the most relevant right now.
Additional resources
Mushroom international study tours – inbound and outbound (MU22010)
Key research provider: Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association
What's it all about?
This project delivers a range of inbound and outbound international study tours for the mushroom industry. Through these activities, the Australian mushroom industry will increase their knowledge of global innovations and develop stronger networks with international peers and researchers.
The project team will organise outbound study opportunities for industry personnel, particularly emerging leaders, to attend international conferences and educational farm tours while strengthening the existing connections with international mushroom organisations.
International topic experts or innovators will also be invited to visit Australia to conduct educational workshops and present at domestic industry events.
A balanced advisory panel will choose the successful applicants, who will receive a partially funded scholarship to participate in the outbound study tours. More information will be made available through MushroomLink and AMGA communications.
Recipients will be required to showcase key learnings within the mushroom industry communications program, and mushroom industry conference, for knowledge and information transfer to the broader industry.
Associated resources
Global perspectives from Erik de Groot
Image courtesy of the AMGA 2023
Erik de Groot - Consultant Mushroom Business
Following his recent trip to Australia, where he delivered training workshops to local growers, Erik de Groot took some time to chat with MushroomLink’s Dr Jenny Ekman.
From a childhood spent in a small village of only 4000 people (but with 15 mushroom farms!) – to becoming a sought-after global mushroom consultant working everywhere from Dubai to China, Europe, Australia, South America and the US – Erik has unique insights into how the industry differs from place to place.
In this podcast, Erik chats about the various approaches to mushroom production around the world, current trends and challenges, and where he thinks Australia sits regarding sustainability and quality (spoiler alert – Australian mushrooms are very good!).
Erik's trip to Australia and subsequent workshops were part of the Hort Innovation project MU22010 – Mushroom International Study Tours – Inbound and Outbound, funded through the mushroom levy and contributions from the Australian Government.
Geoff Price and the American mushroom industry - part two
Geoff Price Giorgi Mushroom Company.
Haven’t listened to part one yet? Listen to it here.
Geoff Price may be the son of our own mushroom-growing legend Graham Price, but he has definitely forged his own way in the industry. A mushroom grower since he was eight years old, perhaps it is not surprising he’s now not only technical director of Giorgi Mushroom Company in Pennsylvania, but also chair of the American Mushroom Institute. Interview by Dr Jenny Ekman
In part two, Jenny and Geoff pests and diseases, food safety and American mushroom marketing.