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Biological treatments for the control of decay in tree wounds.: Field tests
Author(s) -
MERCER P. C.,
KIRK S. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1984.tb05606.x
Subject(s) - trichoderma viride , biology , colonisation , inoculation , glycerol , horticulture , biological pest control , botany , microbiology and biotechnology , colonization , biochemistry
SUMMARY In an attempt to control fungi causing decay a range of micro‐organisms, selected after laboratory tests, was inoculated into wounds made in the trunks of beech trees. The most successful micro‐organism was an isolate of Trichoderma viride , which, over a period of 4 years, maintained significantly lower colonisation by decay fungi at both sites ‐ c. 15% of the level found in uninoculated wounds. T. viride could be reisolated from the majority of wounds into which it had been inoculated up to 4 years later. No other antagonist persisted very effectively. Inoculation of T. viride in glycerol improved its establishment but malt extract and sucrose had no such effect. Both the addition of glycerol to wounds and the wrapping of them in black PVC sheet increased natural colonisation by T. viride . The use of PVC but not glycerol reduced numbers of decay fungi but not through the agency of T. viride present by natural infection, as this proved generally ineffective in the control of decay fungi. Another isolate of T. viride persisted considerably better when covered with a wound sealant.