Mycofungicide: <i>Trichoderma</i> Based Preparation for Foliar Applications

Abstract

The Trichoderma based emulsifiable mycofungicide for controlling foliar diseases lessened the yield loss to economically acceptable level with significant increase of the quality of product. The amount of phylloplane originated T. harzianum and T. parceramosum strains containing liquid formulation, to be applied as leaf spray, might be reduced in two order of magnitude as compared to the solid preparations to achieve the same effect. Both sensitivity of 13 phytopathogenic fungi to antifungal properties of toxic substances released by 32 Trichoderma strains and their susceptibility to the same were examined during development of new mycofungicide. Both toxin production of Trichodermas and the sensitivity of target fungi varied within large limits, being Pythium irregulare the most, while Phytophthora infestans and Macrophomina phaseolina the less tolerant. The sensitivity responses of fungi to toxins correlated to their susceptibility to antagonists. The spectrum of antagonists of pathogenic fungus or targets of Trichoderma strain proved to be unpredictable. Conidia of Trichoderma strains in liquid paraffin (LP) of pharmaceutical quality (LP PQ) survived over 2 years. However, in commercial LP the shelf life of them significantly decreased in strain dependent manner, and the presence of emulsifiers selectively reduced the survival rate as well. The LP PQ was not phytotoxic in therapeutic doses, but commercial LP proved to be toxic when applied as leaf spray independently on the emulsifiers. Both fungitoxic and phytotoxic contaminants of commercial LP could be eliminated with activated carbon.