Native nepalese trichoderma isolates for managing multiple stresses in vegetable crops

Overview

This solution offers a curated set of native Nepalese Trichoderma isolates selected for their ability to manage multiple biotic and abiotic stresses in vegetable crops. The isolates were preliminarily screened and validated under greenhouse conditions in Ohio, where they demonstrated superior performance compared to commercially available biocontrol products. Because these microorganisms are native to Nepal, they can be deployed in field trials within the country, where imported strains face regulatory restrictions in the United States. The project seeks to validate the commercial potential of these isolates for managing clubroot in mustard, Rhizoctonia root rot in radish, and bacterial spot and water-deficit stress in tomato under real-world field conditions in Nepal.

Technical specifications

Key features and validated performance:

• Four Trichoderma asperellum isolates (NT22, NT8, NT24, and NT25) and two T. asperelloides isolates (NT1 and NT31) reduced Rhizoctonia root rot severity by more than 50% compared with non-treated controls
• T. asperellum isolates NT4, NT25, NT28, and NT17 and T. asperelloides NT8 and NT31 suppressed clubroot severity by more than 75% compared with non-treated controls
• Three T. asperelloides isolates were selected for their ability to thrive in low-moisture environments and elicit drought tolerance in greenhouse-grown tomato
• Isolates were selected from a collection of 43 Trichoderma spp. sourced from Nepal, Ohio, and commercial sources

Field validation plan:

• Six on-station and six on-farm validation trials in clubroot and wilt sick plots in Nepal
• Randomized complete block design with six treatments and three replications
• Treatments include three selected Trichoderma isolates plus three controls: chemical (Fluazinam), commercial biocontrol (Serendate), and non-treated
• Measurements will include disease severity, disease incidence, plant biomass, economic yield, and soil microbiome composition analysis

Technology readiness level

The isolates have completed preliminary greenhouse validation and are advancing to field-level validation in Nepal. The current stage focuses on on-station and on-farm trials across multiple sites to confirm efficacy under diverse agricultural conditions, assess impacts on soil microbial communities, and establish commercial potential for vegetable disease management in Nepal and similar agroecological regions.