Application of microbials to control strawberry pests

Project

Project code: 2806OE155
Contract period: 15.12.2008 - 31.12.2011
Budget: 166,172 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research

In organic strawberry production soil borne diseases, like Verticillium wilt and crown root rot, are an increasing problem. Even in conventional orchards it is not possible to control Verticillium wilt because no effective pesticides are available. Therefore, the potential of microbial control of these diseases was investigated. 98 microorganisms, including 68 bacteria and 26 fungi, were screened against Verticillium wilt (V. albo-atrum, V. dahliae), crown root rot (Phytophthora cactorum) and red steel agents in vitro. Different parameters were considered for the successive selection for the following experiments: first was the capacity of the microorganism to reduce the growth of the pathogens followed by the presence as product on the market and other criteria e.g. growth temperature. Fifteen microorganisms that fulfill most of the criteria were selected for further compatibility tests. The four microorganisms that afterwards were chosen for the successive experiments were two Trichoderma (T. atroviride P1 and T. harzianum T58), one entomopathogenic fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae Ma43) and a bacterium (Bacillus subtilis FZB24). These four antagonistic microorganisms were tested in greenhouse and field trials on two different strawberry cultivars (Honeoye and Sonata) in the presence of V. dahliae and P. cactorum inoculated soil. In greenhouse and field trials no clear disease symptoms caused by the two pathogens were observed. But in the greenhouse experiments in the presence of V. dahliae, a positive influence of the antagonists on different growth parameter of the cv. Honeoye was observed. The results on the control of microsclerotia (MS), produced by V. dahliae as persistence bodies, were inconsistent. On the other hand in the field trials a partial reduction of MS concentration was achieved by the fungal antagonists. But no clear positive effects on the plant health for both cultivars (Sonata in the presence of P. cactorum and Honeoye of V. dahliae) were observed.

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