What is Trichoderma ?

Trichoderma is a filamentous fungus that is widely distributed in the soil, plant material, decaying vegetation, and wood. Trichoderma spp. are fungi, that are present in nearly all soils and other diverse habitats. In soil, they frequently are the most prevalent culturable fungi. . Among their other activities, they grow tropically toward hyphae of other fungi,colonise them and finally destroys them, ie they kill the harmful pathogenic fungi in the ecosystem that cause immense damage to some valuable crops under cultivation in the farmers fields

This fungus has enormous properties to control many severe and deadly plant disease that even the most potent fungicides available today are unable to control.

It has a wide range of Properties such as

• It is a Biological fungicide with world wide application.
• It protects germinating seed, roots and emerging shoots from soil borne pathogens.
• It is also effective against a large number of foliar diseases.
• It is Economical and effective to use in the field
• It is Environment friendly, on toxic, and non habit forming to plants
• It is Ideal for organic farming , IPM and export oriented crops.
• It can be used as a seed dressing agent
• It has properties to induce systemic resistance in plants.
• It can colonize the pathogenic host root system.
• It helps the affected plant to grow again naturally and recover fully
• It has growth promoting properties.

Attributes of Trichostar :

Trichostar is a fine powder containing minimum 2 x 10 6 spores and mycelia of mycoparasitic fungi Trichoderma viride per gram, which when introduced along-with seeds or at root zone protects the seedlings from attack by soil borne pathogens and promotes healthy growth.Trichoderma establish long lasting colonization of plant roots and penetrate into the epidermis. It produces compounds that stimulate plant growth and induces localized or systemic plant resistance response.

Trichoderma organism in Trichostar grow very fast. Vigorous growth overshadows the pathogenic fungi, who are overpowered and prevented from infecting the plants. Before pathogens attempt infection via germinating seeds or roots they can be suppressed and controlled with this natural method.

With the use of Trichostar, Growing roots are protected from attacking pathogenic organisms such as Rhizoctonia, Pythium,Phytophthora ,Sclerotinia, Fusarium and Sclerotium and several others.

Trichoderma viride in Trichostar is parasitic to these plant pathogens. Mycelia grow and coil around hyphae of host (pathogenic) fungi when seeds are treated with Trichostar thus reducing their virulence and the plants are protected. It also destroys resting structures of pathogens.

On seed treatment with Trichostar , it colonizes roots, increases root mass and health, and consequently yield increases, which chemical fungicides applied at reasonable rates cannot do. Trichoderma in Trichostar provides long-term root protection. As a consequence, yields frequently are increased over use of the chemical alone.

Following diseases can be controlled by use of Trichostar

Grapes: Botrytis can be reduced by spray of Trichostar.

Pepper : Root rot caused by Phytophthora can be controlled by soil drench of Trichostar @ 0.5 % solution.

Gram : Collar rot of gram caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, Wilt caused by Fusarium , dry rot caused by Macrophomina phaseoli., root rot caused by Pellicularia filamentosa , stem rot caused by Sclerotonia scleretiorum can be effectively controlled by seed treatment @ 5-10 gms of Trichostar/kg of seed

Groundnut : Collar rot caused by Pellicularia rolfsii, root rot caused by Pellicularia filamentosa, dry root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseoli can be controlled by treatment of seeds with 5-10 grams of Trichostar per kg of nuts.

Potato : Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseoli and black surf caused by Rhizoctonia solani can be controlled by dipping potato tubers in 0.5 % solution of Trichostar. i.e. 50 grams of Trichostar per 100 litres of water.

Wheat : Loose smut caused by Ustilago segetum tritici is a common disease which can be controlled by applying 4-8 gms of Trichostar per kg of seeds . Even karnal bunt disease teliophores are reduced by treatment with Trichoderma spp.

Ginger and turmeric: Soft rot caused by Pythium aphanidermatum and thread blight caused by Pellicularia filamentosa is dramatically reduced by dipping rhizomes in 0.5 % Trichostar supension.

Bhindi, onion and other vegetables: Damping off caused by Pythium and Phytophthora sp. can be reduced by seed treatment @4-8gm/Kg and drenching the seed beds with 0.5 % solution of Trichostar.

Peas, mung and urad : Seedling blight caused by Pythium, dry rot caused by Macrophomina phaseoli can be controlled by treating the seeds with 5-10 grams of Trichostar per kg of seeds.

Tomato : Damping off, foot rot caused by Pythium sp. Phytophthora sp and Pellicularia filamentosa in nursery can be reduced by seed treatment @4-8gm/Kg and drenching the seed beds with 0.5 % solution of Trichostar in seed bed.

In addition to this many other disease which can be controlled are as follows

Method Of Application:

For seed Treatment

use 5-10 gms of Trichostar/Kg seed , make a slurry in 15-25ml water and get the seeds coated with the paste just before sowing.

Seedling Treatment

A solution containing 5-10 gms of Trichostar per liter water has to be made. Dip the roots of the seedlings for 15-20 mts just before transplanting the same.

Rhizome/tuber/settTreatment:

Make a solution by using 1 kg Trichostar/100lits water, Dip the setts/tubers that will be required for planting an acre of area. Dry the tubers/setts for a few minutes before planting.

For Nursery beds make a solution by mixing 125 gms Trichostar in 25 lits water and drench 200 sq mts area of the nursery bed

Soil treatment: For soil application mix 1 kg Trichostar in 20 Kgs Organic manure or well rotten F.Y.M leave it for 5-6 days ,cover it and keep it in a cool place, the Fungus Trichoderma will multiply in FYM or the Organic manure , which can be broadcast over 0.33 acre thoroughly incorporating the manure in the soil, after which an irrigation is a must.

Foliar application : Dissolve 1 Kg Trichostar in 200 lits water and use the same as a foliar spray, on the required crop. Drench liberally, ensure that there is enough humidity in the atmosphere for the fungus to establish.

Compatibility:

Trichostar can be used with well rotten farm yard manure/ Good quality de-oiled cakes like Trasco Plant Guard. Trichostar can be mixed as a tank spray with other Bio-Pesticides and Microbial inoculants which are not antagonist.

Trasco Trichostar For Use on Tea Plantatations
(Improved Formula) For Use on Tea Plantations

(TRICHODERMA VIRIDE 1%)

A BOON For Tea Plantations, which fits in the IPM programme

Disease management In Tea Crop

Tea like other agricultural crop is prone to attack by many diseases and some of which cause serious losses. Most of the tea diseases are of fungal origin and only a few are caused by algae. The crop loss due to diseases varies between 10 - 20% and mainly depends on pathogen and the geography of the area. The important diseases of tea can be categorised as leaf, stem and root diseases

Tea Diseases classification

Most Of the Tea Diseases now can be controlled Biologically with new Bio-Control agents, as long as the right formulation from the right manufacturer is purchased.

USE THIS PRODUCT AFTER PRUNING TO GET AN EARLY AND EVEN SPROUTING AND TO CONTROL PORIA., USE IN PLANTING PIT TO CONTROL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROOT DISEASES.

Trasco Trichostar when applied at the correct state of soil moisture and atmoshpheric humidty,establishes and protects roots from pathogens by colonizing the root surface

For Pruned Tea Bushes as an prophylactic measure :-

Application Procedure

Poria (Branch Canker ):
20%-30% aqua paste by brush or 10%-15% aqua suspension as spray on pruning cuts (MP,LP,DS) immediately after pruning to protect tea plants from poria.(very serious systemic destructive tissue killing disease in Tea) Use high volume sprayer with NMD nozzles (Knapsack sprayer is the best mode of application)

• Thorny Stem Blight :
  Same as poria Branch Canker.

Branch canker and Thorny stem blight

Branch canker and Thorny stem blight are very important stem diseases of tea prevailing in plains of Assam and Darjeeling hills, respectively. Branch canker is caused by Poria hypobrunnea and the causal organism of thorny stem blight is Tunstallia aculeata. Branch canker caused by Poria hypobrunnea Petch is a wound parasite that gains entrance into the stem and then it slowly spreads downwards to the branches killing them until it reaches the main stem and finally the roots when the whole bush is killed. It is a stem-cum-root disease and debilitates, kills the bushes extremely slowly taking nearly 10 to 15 years for mature bushes and 2 to 3 years for young one. The external symptoms are the presence of thin, irregular brown lines on the wood which turn yellowish and soft at the final stage of wood decay. The grey corky encrustations on the collar and branches are the fructifications or spore bodies.These pathogens are typical wound parasites and enter the tea plants normally through heavy pruning cuts. Hence it is necessary to protect the fresh wounds with protective paints to stop the entry of these pathogens.

Bio -Control measures

For an effective control of these diseases careful removal of all dead wood at each pruning and subsequent protection of the pruning cuts with Trasco Trichostar bioagents During recent times Trichoderma treatment has been found to be the best method of protecting the pruning cuts from the damage of both Poria and Tunstallia. For painting of large pruning cuts soon after rejuvenation and medium pruning 80 litres of 20% Trichostar spore suspension /ha is required . For spraying of entire bush frame after light pruning/cut across pruning, Use 5% Trichoderma spore suspension of the bioagent formulation/ha is required using a NMD 60/450 nozzle.

Primary root diseases

The most common primary root diseases of tea plants in the plains of North East India are "Charcoal stump rot" and "Brown root rot". "Black root rot" is occasionally found in Darjeeling gardens while Red root rot is of rare occurrence. The root diseases can spread by means of direct contact or from left over diseased woody material. However, the spread of Charcoal stump rot and Black root rots may take place by air borne spores as well. The diseased materials may also be carried by rain to healthy teas.

Biological control :

Trasco Trichostar bio control agent has been found effective in controlling primary root diseases namely, Charcoal stump rot and Brown root rots. Planting pit treatment for infilling and replanting, A 10% suspension of Trichostar should be used for treating the excavated soil of planting pits @ 100ml/pit. Alternatively, compost or well rotten cattle manure should be mixed with the suspension and the treated manure should be mixed thoroughly with the excavated soil of the planting pit @ 200g/pit.

For top dressing around infills already planted in mature tea (1 year or below) should be sprayed around the collar region on the round @ 100 ml/plant using 5% spore suspension during Apr/May or Sep/ Oct before the soil gets dry. Forking of soil is a must before spraying. There should be adequate moisture in the soil for the fungi to get established.

• Nursery Disease :
  Trasco Trichostar controls the damping off and collar rot caused by pythium,and phomopsis theicola, and should be drenched with a solution containing 500gm. Trichostar in 100ltrs. of water.
• As a seed Dressing agent :
  Spray the tea seeds before storage with 10% solution of Trichostar

New Plantation& Rejuvenation

For New Tea Planting in the Planting Pit :

Mix 2kg. Trichostar with 100kg. Trasco Plant Guard Bio-NPK Organic Manure organic or FYM . Wet it for 1 week by keeping it wet, in jute bags or covering the Wet material with polythene sheets. Use this material @ 100 gm. per planting pit, around the plant in the pit. You will notice a boost in plant growth and no death of plants.

For Hail Damage and severe debarking

Trasco Trichostar is the safest bet one can think of after a devastating hail storm . Trasco Trichostar is the only product that cures the damaged branches, at the same time protecting them against harmful microbes that cause disease by gaining an entry into the tea plant tissues.

Dosage
Mix2Kg Trichostar in 200ltrs.. If the application is immediately followed by a heavy rain, then you will have to repeat the spray once more

Packing Details
1Kg packet
500gm Packet
200gm Packet
100gm Packet