Peziza vesiculosa



Date observed:-    27th October 1997

Habitat:-          Oil seed rape field

Location:-         Alvanley, Cheshire, UK

Scale:-            Approx Life size

Spores:-           White    

Description:-      I was contacted by an agriculture advisor to identify this fungus.

                   This was a 14 acre (5.6 hectare)field with an astonishing crop*

                   of about 50 specimens to the square metre. 

                   The literature describes this fungus as preferring rotting straw,

                   rich soil and manure especially horse manure.

                   The field had applications of horse manure applied to it in the 

                   autumn of 1995 and also in the autumn of 1996.

                   It also had 200 tonnes per hectare of de-inked paper waste

                   ploughed into it in early August and was then sown with winter

                   oil seed rape in Mid August. It was treated with a fungicide in

                   early October. 

                  

                   

                   

                   *The advisor used the word infestation!!!