Florida-adapted trichoderma isolates for improved plant health in sandy soils

Overview

This offering presents a diverse collection of 295 Trichoderma isolates sourced from Florida's subtropical Myakka fine sand soils, representing 16 species across five clades. These locally adapted strains have demonstrated enhanced biocontrol activity against phytopathogenic Fusarium species in laboratory assays and field trials, outperforming commercial Trichoderma isolates derived from temperate soil environments. The collection offers a promising alternative to traditional soil pesticides for improving plant health in sandy field soils, particularly for high-value agronomic crops such as tomato, watermelon, and corn.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• 295 Trichoderma isolates spanning 16 species and five clades, providing broad genetic diversity for matching strains to specific crops and soil conditions
• Validated biocontrol activity against phytopathogenic Fusarium spp. through dual plating assays and field trials
• Demonstrated ability to establish on tomato seedling roots in pasteurized Myakka fine sand under controlled conditions
• Field-tested soil applications reduced Fusarium disease incidence in tomato over a 10-week period
• Compatibility assessment capability using histological staining with wheat germ agglutinin fluorescent conjugate to visualize and quantify epiphytic and endophytic root colonization
• GFP-tagged Fusarium isolates available for evaluating tripartite interactions in soil and plant tissue
• Application as spore suspension in pasteurized field soil for seedling vigor and plant defense elicitation assays

Technology readiness level

The Trichoderma isolate collection has progressed through multiple stages of validation. Initial screening via dual plating assays confirmed superior biocontrol activity compared to a commercial reference strain. Controlled environment studies demonstrated successful root establishment on tomato seedlings in pasteurized Myakka fine sand. Field trials have shown reduced Fusarium disease incidence over a 10-week period following soil application. Ongoing and future validation includes seedling assays with key agroeconomic crops (tomato, watermelon, corn) to assess root colonization capacity, enhanced seedling vigor, and ability to elicit plant defenses, positioning the collection for further development toward commercial deployment as a soil-applied biocontrol product.