Abstract
Wood pellets can sustain the growth of Trichoderma spp. in soil; however, little is known about their side effects on the microbiota. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of wood pellets on the growth of Trichoderma spp. in bulk soil and on the soil microbial population’s composition and diversity. Trichoderma atroviride SC1 coated wood pellets and non-coated pellets were applied at the level of 10 g∙kg−1 of soil and at the final concentration of 5 × 103 conidia∙g−1 of soil and compared to a conidial suspension applied at the same concentration without the wood carrier. Untreated bulk soil served as a control. The non-coated wood pellets increased the total Trichoderma spp. population throughout the experiment (estimated as colony-forming unit g−1 of soil), while wood pellets coated with T. atroviride SC1 did not. The wood carrier increased the richness, and temporarily decreased the diversity, of the bacterial population, with Massilia being the most abundant bacterial genus, while it decreased both the richness and diversity of the fungal community. Wood pellets selectively increased fungal species having biocontrol potential, such as Mortierella, Cladorrhinum, and Stachybotrys, which confirms the suitability of such carriers of Trichoderma spp. for soil application.
Highlights
Particular formulations of biocontrol agents comprise aids that can preserve them, favor their delivery to targets, and improve their activity [9]. Another limiting factor that prevents the widespread use of Trichoderma spp. in soil treatments is the difficulty in homogenously applying small quantities of conidia in large volumes of soil [10]
Trichoderma spp. formulations are important, as they can delay the decline of the population of the fungus, protecting conidia from soil fungistasis [65,66], by providing nutrients to selectively stimulate their growth, or by combining both mentioned benefits [67]
Trichoderma atroviride SC1 DNA was not detected in the original bulk soil
Summary
The population of Trichoderma spp. normally tends to decrease over time [4] This problem is usually addressed by applying high quantities of the biocontrol agent and/or by formulating the biocontrol agent (i.e., as a wettable powder, emulsion, pellets, granules, etc.) or adding nutrients to the formulation that can extend its longevity in the soil [5,6,7,8]. Particular formulations of biocontrol agents comprise aids that can preserve them, favor their delivery to targets, and improve their activity [9]. Another limiting factor that prevents the widespread use of Trichoderma spp. in soil treatments is the difficulty in homogenously applying small quantities of conidia in large volumes of soil [10].
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