Any fungi experts here?

[snugglekitten]

I'm thinking of a new hypothesis to test out:

Can a non-mycchorizal fungi crowd-out harmful fungi?

Say I use spores from a common white-button mushroom and the hyphae spreads throughout the soil, I'm wondering if this could crowd-out harmful fungi.

I think I may try this in a few pots this spring and see if there is any difference when blight comes around.

[RayR]

White-button mushrooms are saprophytic fungi which feed solely off of dead organic matter so they are not the type of fungi that are associated with protecting living plant tissue from or attacking pathogenic fungal spores that may be in the soil. Never heard of it anyway.
Are you talking about Early Blight?.

[PatrickArtist]

There is some evidence that certain non-mycchorizal saprophytic fungi can be beneficial in soil, even so far as to invade and consume bodies of nematodes, as well as releasing bio-available nutrients locked in not yet fully broken down organic matter. Specifically, hypsizygus ulmarius, the elm oyster, which has been adapted to garden use (you can find "the garden oyster mushroom" spawn online from many venders). Stropharia rugosoannulata, the King stropharia, or wine cap, is another. Spores in any concentration will likely be of little use in colonizing soil. Fully colonized sawdust or straw based spawn within a straw, or wood based mulch in heavy concentration will yield fruiting patches of the mushrooms that are a benefit to your garden. As for crowding out harmful fungi with any real level of success is unlikely. Many species of fungi can inhabit the same substrate as they feed on different components of the same organic material.

[snugglekitten]

Interesting, thanx guys. I wish there was some kind of competing fungi that could crowd out blight.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by snugglekitten

Interesting, thanx guys. I wish there was some kind of competing fungi that could crowd out blight.

It really depends on what kind of blight that is hitting your plants. If it's a leaf and stem pathogen, the spores in the soil are harmless unless they get splashed onto the above ground parts of the plant.
Mycorrhizal fungi are known to produce antibiotics that protect the roots but also they have been shown to enhance the resistance of tomato plants against Early Blight infections on the leaves and stems.
Trichoderma fungi will also inhabit the rhizosphere, they are mycoparasites that can protect the plant from invading fungal pathogens that attack through the roots. They will also feed on mushroom species like white-button's too if they get a chance.

[snugglekitten]

Originally Posted by RayR

It really depends on what kind of blight that is hitting your plants. If it's a leaf and stem pathogen, the spores in the soil are harmless unless they get splashed onto the above ground parts of the plant.
Mycorrhizal fungi are known to produce antibiotics that protect the roots but also they have been shown to enhance the resistance of tomato plants against Early Blight infections on the leaves and stems.
Trichoderma fungi will also inhabit the rhizosphere, they are mycoparasites that can protect the plant from invading fungal pathogens that attack through the roots. They will also feed on mushroom species like white-button's too if they get a chance.

I wish I could grow some kind of endo-mycchoriza myself, plus I wish I could find some that turns into mushrooms instead of just growing grass all year and then assuming the soil under it is rich in mychoriza.