Thread: Fusarium Wilt
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Old June 26, 2017   #176
RayR
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 2,466
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HudsonValley View Post
Thanks! PPP is a sturdy plant that's been fun to grow so far; it looks like it will be productive, too. And I love the name!

As for biological controls/inoculants, I'm no expert, but according to my husband, a biochemist, a few products I use to feed my seedlings contain some of the same beneficial microbes that have been shown (in the dreaded scientific literature) to help plants resist soil-borne illnesses like fusarium as well as reduce nematode populations. When my husband tries to explain how these things work, I probably look like this:

One is Espoma's Start! liquid concentrate for small seedlings; when they're bigger, I switch to Espoma's Grow!. At plant-out, I sprinkle some Bio-Tone granules, also from Espoma, in the hole; it contains microbes, too, as does Tomato-Tone, which I use to amend the beds along with mushroom compost. Anyway, it appears that WM sells Espoma products nationally, if they're of interest. Other Tomatovillians might be able to tell you more about the various inoculant products on the market, since I haven't yet tried them...

Best of luck developing your new gardening strategies!
The Epsoma products do contain a few bacillus species that are beneficial for plants in more ways than one, but Fusarium and Root Knot Nematodes are problems that we would not likely see up North. Biological controls would require a broader range of beneficial bacteria and fungi to protect the roots, and that's a good thing no matter where you're growing or what pathogens and pests you may have to deal with.

Yes! The dreaded scientific literature:

Biological Control of Fusarium Crown and Root Rot of Tomato in Florida Using Trichoderma harzianum and Glomus intraradice

Efficacy of Various Fungal and Bacterial Biocontrol Organisms
for Control of Fusarium Wilt of Tomato


Evaluation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, fluorescent Pseudomonas
and Trichoderma harzianum formulation against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici for the management of tomato wilt


Biological Control of the Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne javanica
by Trichoderma harzianum


Mechanisms Employed by Trichoderma Species in the Biological Control of Plant Diseases: The History and Evolution of Current Concepts
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