Overview of Mechanisms and Uses of Trichoderma spp.

Fungi in the genus Trichoderma have been known since at least the 1920s for their ability to act as biocontrol agents against plant pathogens. Until recently, the principal mechanisms for control have been assumed to be those primarily acting upon the pathogens and included mycoparasitism, antibiosis, and competition for resources and space. Recent advances demonstrate that the effects of Trichoderma on plants, including induced systemic or localized resistance, are also very important. These fungi colonize the root epidermis and outer cortical layers and release bioactive molecules that cause walling off of the Trichoderma thallus. At the same time, the transcriptome and the proteome of plants are substantially altered. As a consequence, in addition to induction of pathways for resistance in plants, increased plant growth and nutrient uptake occur. However, at least in maize, the increased growth response is genotype specific, and some maize inbreds respond negatively to some strains. Trichoderma spp. are beginning to be used in reasonably large quantities in plant agriculture, both for disease control and yield increases. The studies of mycoparasitism also have demonstrated that these fungi produce a rich mixture of antifungal enzymes, including chitinases and β-1,3 glucanases. These enzymes are synergistic with each other, with other antifungal enzymes, and with other materials. The genes encoding the enzymes appear useful for producing transgenic plants resistant to diseases and the enzymes themselves are beneficial for biological control and other processes.

Strip Thinning and Spacing Increases Tree Growth of Young Black Spruce

Two different thinning methods were applied to three 6- or 7-yr-old black spruce stands in northern Minnesota which were measured after 20 yr. Overall, thinning improved the growing conditions for crop trees. Strip thinning with a 0.6 m leave strip and three widths of cleared strips (1.5 m, 2.1 m, and 2.7 m), and spacing to 1.5 m, 2.1 m, and 2.7 m resulted in reduced numbers of crop trees, but with larger diameters and, in the spacing thinned plots, greater heights. Because of these contradicting trends, stand volume was unaffected by thinning. Crop tree growth was not affected by the width of the cleared strip, but the distances between the leave trees in the square spacing were positively related to the increased growth response after thinning. The study is still too young to evaluate the economic feasibility of both thinning treatments, but shorter rotations or substantially increased volume seem possible by early thinnings of black spruce. North. J. Appl. For. 13(2):68-72.

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF SOIL SOLARIZATION AND OTHER AGRIPLASTIC MULCH SYSTEMS ON INCREASED GROWTH RESPONSE AND REDUCTION OF EARLY BLIGHT DISEASE OF FLORADADE TOMATO

Agriplastic black mulch (BM), row cover (spunbonded) plus black mulch (RBM) and solarized soil treatments plus black mulch (SBM). row cover plus black mulch on solarized soil (RSBM) and row cover plus solar&d soil (RSBS) increased Floradade tomato yield from 56 to 285%. number of tomatoes and plant height compared to the non-solarized bare soil (BS). When comparing increased growth response (IGR) of the plants grown in the solarized soil with no row cover agriplastic treatments, there was no significant differences among them. When comparing the IGR parameters of tomato plants grown under SBS, BM, and RBS there were no significant differences among them. Spunbonded row cover treatments increased IGR of tomatoes over all treatments without row cover. A significant increase in plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) was observed in the rhizosphere soil of Floradade tomatoes grown in solarized soil alone and in those other agriplastic treatments compared to bare soil. There appear to be no differences in PGPR population among SBS and all agriplastic treatments.