Trichoderma Detection in Mushroom Substrates: Utilizing Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay with Gold Nanoparticles for Colorimetric Analysis

One of the significant challenges in organic cultivation of edible mushrooms is the control of invasive Trichoderma strains, which can hinder mushroom production and lead to significant economic losses. The development of tools for early and specific detection of these pathogenic fungi is of great importance.
This study aimed to develop new method for fast detection of Trichoderma using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay combined with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The assay relies on preventing salt-induced aggregation of AuNPs through amplicons generated in positive LAMP reactions (Fig. 1). The observable color change from red to violet with the naked eye facilitates easy operation, making the LAMP-AuNPs assay a simple initial screening tool for rapid Trichoderma detection in mushroom cultivation substrate.