Papulospora Brown Plaster Mold

Comments Papulospora is competitive to mushroom mycelium and can therefore postpone or inhibit fruiting. Papulospora byssina Hotson is the brown plaster mold commonly encountered in mushroom cultivation. Colonies of this contaminant can grow up to several feet in diameter if cor- 

Because no conidial (spore producing) phase is known, it has been placed in the garbage order of little understood fungi, the Mycelia Sterilia. 

Latin Root From penicillum meaning a brush-like tuft of hairs, so named in reference to the shape of the sporulating body. 

Medium Through Which Contamination Is Spread Primarily through the air, although stored grain and other foodstuffs, as well as humans are the most frequent carriers of this mold. 

Measures of Control Air filtration removal of waste products isolation of contaminated cultures and maintenance of a high level of hygiene. 

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Papulospora byssina, the Brown Plaster Mold, is similar but can be distinguished from Botiytis by the powdery granules evident using a hand lens, and by the shape of the conidiophore as viewed through a microscope. 

Figure 216 Drawing of non-sporulating sclerotia-like mycelial mass that is typical of the Brown Plaster Mold, Papulospora byssina.

See also Papulospora (P. byssina Hots.), a genus containing the Brown Plaster Mold whose early stages of growth resemble the White Plaster Mold. 

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