‘ASPERELLO T34 Biocontrol controls Fusarium foetens’

Julie Moelants, a Master’s student at Ghent University, examined the potential of Trichoderma as a biological control product against Fusarium in ornamentals. Among other aspects, she has investigated the efficacy of ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^® against Fusarium foetens in Hiemalis begonia.

Mixed in the potting soil
Julie conducted the begonia trial with PCS Ornamental Plant Research and ILVO (Flemish Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food). They mixed ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^® (10 g/m³ at label rate) in the potting soil before transplanting and compared this treatment with the untreated and a chemical reference. Three out of five plant groups were artificially inoculated with Fusarium foetens (FUS).

Best protection against Fusarium foetens
The graph clearly shows the positive effect of ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^®. Begonia plants protected with ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^® in the absence of disease produced fewer stunted plants than the healthy control. Moreover, when plants were challenged with the diseases (deliberately infested with Fusarium foetens – FUS), the treatment with ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^® produced the lowest number of stunted plants (15%) as opposed to 70% in the infected control (FUS) and 35% in the infected chemical of reference. “The ASPERELLO™ T34 Biocontrol^® treatment challenged with the disease had the highest level of control, in addition to that, begonia plants in that treatment produced more flowers than the plants with the chemical of reference”, explains Julie Moelants.

Percentage of plants with reduced growth (stunted plants). FUS = artificially inoculated with Fusarium foetens. Untreated and T34 (ASPERELLO^™ T34 Biocontrol^®) were not inoculated with Fusarium.

Would you like to know in which crops ASPERELLO^™ T34 Biocontrol^® is allowed to be used? Be sure to also read ASPERELLO T34 Biocontrol improves root environment of various ornamentals.