1

ManagingPlantDiseaseswithTrichoderma- andGliocladium-Based

Biofungicides

M.S.Krause,PhD.BioWorks,Inc.

IR-4WesternRegionBiopesticide TrainingWorkshop26April,Ft.Collins,CO

I. Characteristics of Trichoderma & Gliocladiumproducts

II. Key Attributes of Commercial ProductsIII. Working with These ProductsIV. Questions and Discussion

Overview

2

I. Characteristics of Trichoderma & GliocladiumproductsA. The active ingredientsB. How these products work (modes of action)C. Formulation TypesD. US EPA-Registered Examples

II. Key Attributes of Commercial ProductsIII. Working with These ProductsIV. Questions and Discussion

Overview

• Living microorganisms• Ascomycete Fungi in the family Hypocreales• Members of Trichoderma and Gliocladium:

– Colonize soil and plant debris: decompose organic matter and cycle nutrients

– Can produce tens to hundreds of metabolites: enzymes, chelators, competitive compounds, etc.

– May form beneficial plant associations– Some strains can suppress soilborne and foliar

diseases: strain-specific phenomenon (very rare) = biocontrol strains

ActiveIngredients

3

• Inocula used in biofungicide products:– Conidia – WP, WDG, granules – most common– Blastoconidia – WP, WDG– Chamydospores – Granules, WP, WDG – minor

component– Mycelia – Granules – minor component

• Most biocontrol strains are epiphytes and soil colonizers; very few are endophytes

Characteristics

Biocontrol Strains act preventively via two or more of the following:• Antagonistic metabolites – enzymes and bioactive

compounds• Competition – niche and nutrient• Rhizosphere or phyllosphere competence• Predation / hyperparasitism• Induced host resistance – ISR or SARMOAs and levels and spectra of activity vary by strain

ModesofAction

4

Performance depends strongly on formulation• Affects the handling, placement, compatibility, shelf

lives and (ultimately) efficacy of biofungicide strains• Have improved substantially over the past 20 years

– Solubility / mixability– Shelf life– Delivery– Consistency– Durability– Compatibility with standard equipment and other inputs

Formulations

Types of Formulations (cont’d)• Soluble Wettable Powders and Wettable Granules:

– Water-soluble inerts (not active ingredients,though)– Used for sprays, drenches, dips, or dry or aqueous

seed treatments• Granules:

– Soluble or wet-stable aggregates or coated particles

– Used for pre-plant incorporation into or top-dressing on soils, growing media, or artificial substrates

Formulations

5

Types of Formulations (cont’d)• Insoluble Powders and Wettable Granules:

– Colloidal suspendible and non-suspendible inerts– Used in the past for sprays, drenches, dips, dry

seed treatments, or aqueous seed treatments• require decanting if used as sprays or drenches

– Used now for dry or aqueous seed, transplant, or vegetative cutting treatments

Formulations

Examples

Product Active Ingredient Strain(s)Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22

T. virens strain G-41

T. harzianum strain T-22

T. asperellum strain ICC 012T. gamsii strain ICC 080

T. asperellum strain T-34

T. harzianum strain T-22

ASPERELLOTM

6

Examples

Product Active Ingredient Strain(s)Gliocladium catenulatum strain J1446

G. virens strain GL-21

I. Characteristics of Trichoderma & Gliocladiumproducts

II. Key Attributes of Commercial ProductsIII. Working with These ProductsIV. Questions and Discussion

Overview

7

• Act preventively rather than “curatively”• May act immediately or after a short lag period• Effective alone under low-to-moderate disease

pressures when used as labeled / directed– Several products already used effectively by

commercial conventional, green-conventional, and organic growers – edible crops and ornamentals

– Concentration and application timing and method are extremely important

KeyAttributes

• Less dependent on moisture than bacterial strains to move but still require nutrients for growth in absence of pathogen

• Activity for 2-12 weeks, depending on the AI– Reapplication may still be needed to keep at effective

levels• No documented pathogen resistance to date• Tank-mix or rotationally compatible with many

conventional and biological pesticides

KeyAttributes

8

• Can help prevent and overcome pesticide resistance in conventional IPM programs– Effective use can reduce conventional chemical

fungicides, extending their usable effective lives• Survival, activity and performance affected by

environmental, physical and chemical factors• Low REIs and PHIs• Still require PPE for application and during REI

(potential sensitizers)

KeyAttributes

• What they cannot do:– Provide curative or therapeutic disease control– Offer 100% protection– Work in environmental extremes– Work under high disease pressures– Last indefinitely or tolerate temperature swings in

storage– Make a bad grower good

KeyAttributes

9

I. Characteristics of Trichoderma & Gliocladiumproducts

II. Key Attributes of Commercial ProductsIII. Working with These Products

A. Trialing: Preventive or integrated management vs. “curative” or therapeutic

B. Product ordering and handlingC. Appropriate applicationD. Manufacturer support: technical advice/resources

IV. Questions and Discussion

Overview

Think differently about trials than with : preventive or integrated disease management setup1. Artificial infestation:

a. Aim for low to moderate disease pressureb. Suitable for evaluating single biopesticides or

combination/rotation programsc. Prevent artifacts caused by pathogen growing medium

i. Avoid agar media and non-spent broth media or grains – these provide constant supplies of nutrients for secondary inocula that are inaccessible to biocontrol strains

ii. Potato soil, sand-meal, washed propagules, spent grain, and Millipore-type filter pathogen inocula are best

Trialing

10

Think differently about trials than with : preventive or integrated disease management setup2. Natural infestation:

a. Evaluate pathogen levels or distribution prior to trial (when possible)

b. Low to moderate disease pressure – suitable for evaluating single biofungicides or combination/rotation programs

c. Moderate to high disease pressure – best for evaluating biofungicides used in combination or rotation with other fungicides (biological or chemical)

3. Keep an open mind

Trialing

• Contact manufacturer to order products when possible– Assures fresh product (lots of expired biologicals out

there)– Builds awareness and accountability with

manufacturer– Opens the door for

• Technical advice on best formulation to use, application rates, pitfalls, and other specifics not clarified on the label

• Feedback from you about application and performance of their products

OrderingandHandling

11

• Order products at least 3 weeks before they are needed and have them delivered 2-3 weeks prior to use

• Document condition of package, batch/lot code, expiration date when received – snap and save photos of the package/container and all labels

• Read and follow storage, handling, disposal, and safety guidelines on the label and SDS

OrderingandHandling

• Apply preventive applications: – before infesting with pathogen (artificial infestation)– at seeding or transplant (low-moderate natural

infestation)– at manufacturer-recommended re-application

intervals• Apply combination or rotational applications:

– according to manufacturer compatibility information– according to manufacturer recommendations

AppropriateApplication

12

• Choose the correct formulation, application method and equipment for the trial parameters

• “Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate” and ”coverage, coverage, coverage”

AppropriateApplication

• Do not hesitate to contact the manufacturers:– For product samples– For bioassay protocols, advice and ideas– To review specific trial protocols– For crop- and pathogen-specific recommendations

regarding application of their products (within label requirements)

– For compatibility information and equipment recommendations

– To provide feedback or report issues

ManufacturerSupport

13

I. Characteristics of Trichoderma & Gliocladiumproducts

II. Key Attributes of Commercial ProductsIII. Working with These ProductsIV. Questions and Discussion

Overview

For more information:

Matthew S. Krause, PhDProduct Development Manager

585.643.9229mkrause@bioworksinc.com