David Meigs Beyer, Ph.D.
- Professor of Mushrooms
104 Buckhout Lab (lab)
University Park, PA 16802
- Email dmb8@psu.edu
- Fax 814-863-7217
Areas of Expertise
- Mushroom cultivation
- Composting
- Mushroom nutrition and physiology
- IPM and Disease Management for Mushroom cultivation
- Mushroom extension services for the North American mushroom industry
Education
- B.S., Arts and Science, Syracuse University
- M.S., Plant Pathology, Penn State University
- Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Penn State University
In 1979, I began my career as a mushroom grower for Leaver Mushrooms, Ontario, Canada. In the early 1990's I left Leaver as the Director of Growing to pursue a PhD in mushroom research at Penn State University.
As a Professor of Mushrooms my research and extension programs cover all aspects of mushroom growing, from composting through production, including disease management.
The U.S. Dept of Agriculture – NIFA awarded a $1.4 million Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) grant to Dept. of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology (PPEM) to Dr. Beyer and nine other researchers. The purpose of the grant is to develop tools and strategies for adoption by organic growers that address fungal and bacterial diseases, and fly infestations and increase profitability. Organic mushroom growers currently represent 20 percent of the 346 total US mushroom producers. Project outcomes will provide organic growers with tools, techniques and strategies to increase production yield and quality, and increase profitability by reducing input and administration costs.
Other ongoing research projects include the reuse of compost and casing to produce a second crop of mushrooms; alternative materials for mushroom substrate and the study of cultural factors influencing a new mushroom pathogen, identified as Syzygites megalocarpus.
My extension program includes grower educational workshops and the annual Mushroom Short Course. I have been fortunate enough to work with mushroom growers around the world who continue to amaze me with their intuition and resourcefulness.
Publications
Virus and Bacterial Diseases, Beyer, David, 2025
David M. Beyer - Mushroom Researcher, Beyer, David, 2024
Dry Bubble Disease, Beyer, David, 2024
Life Cycles and Disease Developments, Beyer, David, 2024
Mushroom Pests and Diseases, Beyer, David, Wolfin, M, 2024
Mushroom Pathogen Life Cycles as Related to Symptom Development, Beyer, David, 2024
Penn State Receives Funding for Pest and Disease Research and Extension, Beyer, David, 2023
Cropping Trials Using a Novel Fungicide, Metrafenone, Beyer, David, 2023
Interpreting Compost and Casing Lab Results, Beyer, David, 2023
Nematode problems in mushroom cultivation and their sustainable management, Beyer, David M., Rinker, Danny, 2023
Compost and Casing Water Compromises: Some Comments and Opinions, Beyer, David, 2022
A brief summary of the scientific posters presented at this year’s 63rd Penn State University Mushroom Short Course, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2022
Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Mushrooms, Beyer, David, 2022
Mushroom Fungal Diseases, Beyer, David, 2022
Syzygites Disease on the Agaricus Mushroom, Beyer, David, 2022
Best Management Practices for Post-Crop Steaming Mushroom Houses
PSU Fact Sheet, Beyer, David, 2022
Interpreting Compost and Casing Lab Results, Beyer, David, 2019
USDA-NIFA Organic Research and Extension Initiative Project, 2019 Update, Beyer, David, 2019
100 years since Tolaas: Bacterial blotch of mushrooms in the 21st century
Plant Disease, Osdaghi, Ebrahim, Martins, Samuel, Ramos-Sepulveda, Laura, Vieira, Fabrício Rocha, Rocha Vieira, Fabrício, Pecchia, John A., Beyer, David, Bell, Terrence H., Yang, Yinong, Hockett, Kevin L., Bull, Carolee T., 2019
The importance of the Trichoderma and fly survey
Mushroom News, Pecchia, John, Beyer, David, Beyer, D, Pecchia, J, 2018
Penn State University invests in the future of its mushroom program
Mushroom News, Pecchia, John, Beyer, D, 2017
The Penn State Lines: Best Practices for Post-Crop Sanitation: Steam-Off/Post-Crop Pasteurization, Beyer, David, 2017
The use of corn stover to replace straw in compost formulations for the production of Agaricus bisporus
19th International Society for Mushroom Science Congress, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, Li, Xiao, 2016
Some Laws of Mushroom Cultivation
Muhsroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2016
Best Practices: Steam-off/ Post-crop Pasteurization, Beyer, David, 2016
Controlling Environmental Factors in Mushroom Growing
Australian Mushroom Growers Association Journal, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2015
Controlling Environmental Factors in Mushroom Growing
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2015
Mushroom Substrate Leachate
Mushroom News, Beyer, D., Pecchia, John, 2015
