David Meigs Beyer, Ph.D.
- Professor of Mushrooms
104 Buckhout Lab (lab)
University Park, PA 16802
- Email dmb8@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-7059
- 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
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
Composting changes in carbon
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2014
Syzygites – new mold on brown mushrooms
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2014
Anaerobically digested food waste in compost for Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus subrufescens and its effect on mushroom productivity
Journal of the science of food and agriculture, Stoknes, Ketil, Beyer, David Meigs, Norgaard, Erik, 2013
Pest management on US commercial mushroom farms
Outlooks on Pest Management, Pecchia, John Andrew, Beyer, David Meigs, 2013
First Report of Syzygites megalocarpus Web Mold
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, O'Donnell, K, Paley, K, Wach, M, 2013
Investigations into Cultural Factors Influencing the Development of Trichoderma Green Mold
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, Elias, R, 2013
Pest-Pasteurization Overrides
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, Gorgo-Gourovitch, M, 2013
Reuse of Casing and Compost for a Second Crop of Mushrooms
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, Elias, R, 2013
The Status of Trichoderma Green Mold in the United States
Mushroom News, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2013
First Report of Syzygites megalocarpus (Mucorales) Web Mold on the Commercial Portabella Button Mushroom Agaricus bisporus in North America
Plant Disease, Beyer, David, O'Donnell, K, Paley, K, 2013
Raw Materials – What’s this Year’s Outlook
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2012
The Penn State Lines, Trichoderma Green Mold Survey
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2012
The Safe and Proper Use of Disinfectants and Sanitizers on Mushroom Farms
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Poppiti, J, 2012
The Status of Trichoderma aggressivum, the causal agent of green mold, in the United States as determined in response to 2010-2011 quarterly surveys
, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2012
Water–The Most Important Variable in Mushroom Production?
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2012
Thyme oil for the control of the major pathogens affecting cultivated mushrooms
Journal of South African Mushroom Growers, Regnier, T, Paley, K, Combrinck, S, Beyer, David, 2011
Global Warming Potential and Mushrooms?
Mushroom News, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2011
Quarterly Survey for Trichoderma Green Mold
Mushroom News, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, Paley, K, 2011
Supplements and Raw Bulk Ingredients for Mushroom Composting
Mushroom News, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2011
Take Your Lumps for Better Mushroom Size
Mushroom News, Beyer, David, Pecchia, J, 2011
What the Hay?
Mushroom News, Pecchia, J, Beyer, David, 2011
