Biological control of Botryosphaeria berengeriana f.sp. piricola
Botryosphaeria berengeriana f.sp. piricola (EU Annexes) is the causal agent of apple ring rot. It is widely distributed and established in orchards in northern China where it can cause yield losses of up to 50 % on susceptible cultivars. Since the late 1970s, with the increase of good quality cultivars susceptible to the disease, apple ring rot has become a major problem in fruit production. Fungicide treatments are applied (up to 10 times per season) to control the disease, but some resistance has been reported. Laboratory and field trials were carried out in Hebei province to evaluate the potential of Trichoderma harzianum and T. atroviride to control B. berengeriana f.sp. piricola. In the laboratory, both Trichoderma species inhibited B. berengeriana f.sp. piricola, apparently by direct antagonism with minor inhibition by antibiosis. In the field, where apple trees were severely affected by the disease, the application of spore suspensions of both fungi gave satisfactory results and the efficacy was similar to that of routine chemical control.
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Potential of Trichoderma harzianum and T. atroviride to control Botryosphaeria berengeriana f.sp. piricola, the cause of apple ring rot.
Journal of Phytopathology, 150(4-5), 271-276.
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