Use of formulated Trichoderma sp. Tri-1 in combination with reduced rates of chemical pesticide for control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorium on oilseed rape

Authors: HU, XIAOJIA - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; Roberts, Daniel; XIE, LIHUA - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; YU, CHANGBING - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; LI, YINSHUI - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; QIN, LU - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; HU, LEI - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; ZHANG, YINBO - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; LIAO, XING - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Crop Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/23/2015
Publication Date: 1/15/2016
Citation: Hu, X., Roberts, D.P., Xie, L., Yu, C., Li, Y., Qin, L., Hu, L., Zhang, Y., Liao, X. 2016. Use of formulated Trichoderma sp. Tri-1 in combination with reduced rates of chemical pesticide for control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorium on oilseed rape. Crop Protection. 79:124-127.

Interpretive Summary: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum can cause serious yield losses in oilseed and other crops in the United States. Chemical control measures for diseases caused by this pathogen can be hazardous to man and the environment. Other more environmentally friendly control measures such as plant breeding and crop rotation have met with limited success. Therefore, environmentally friendly strategies for control of these diseases need to be developed due to the problems associated with existing chemical controls and the limited effectiveness of other traditional control measures. In this study we show that a formulation containing the beneficial fungus Trichoderma harzianum Tri-1 combined with reduced levels of a chemical pesticide controlled disease caused by S. sclerotiorum on oilseed rape as well as the treatment containing the full application rate of this chemical pesticide. Experiments reported here indicate that integration of a biologically based control tactic, such as formulated Trichoderma Tri-1, into a disease management strategy can increase environmental compatibility of oilseed rape production through reduction in the use of chemical pesticides. This information will be useful to scientists devising strategies for biological and integrated control of diseases on oilseed crops caused by S. sclerotiorum.

Technical Abstract: Sustainable strategies for control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on oilseed rape are needed. Here we tested combinations of Trichoderma sp. Tri-1, formulated with oilseed rape seedcake and straw, with reduced application rates of the chemical pesticide Carbendazim for control of this pathogen on oilseed rape. The treatment containing 100% the recommended rate of application of the chemical pesticide Carbendazim provided the greatest reduction of disease of all treatments containing individual applications of different rates of this pesticide or the formulated Tri-1 treatment. Combining the formulated Tri-1 treatment with 50% or 75% of the recommended application rate of Carbendazim reduced incidence of disease to levels statistically similar to the 100% Carbendazim treatment in two field experiments conducted at the Wuxue County Agricultural Technology Generalizing Center where a rice-oilseed rape rotation was used. Combining the formulated Tri-1 treatment with 75% the recommended application rate of Carbendazim reduced incidence of disease to levels statistically similar to the 100% Carbendazim treatment in two experiments conducted at the Wuhan Caidian District Agricultural Technology Generalizing Center where a soybean-oilseed rape rotation was used. Experiments reported here using two oilseed rape production rotations indicate that integration of a biologically based control tactic, such as formulated Tri-1, into a disease management strategy can increase oilseed rape production sustainability through reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.