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Trichoderma should be transferable right?

Cindy

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Hi everyone,

I finally got some Trichoderma and is wondering if the beneficial fungus is growing in one pot, I should be able to take some of the media to innoculate another pot of media right?

Just wondering if it works the same as yoghurt... :0o:
 
Yep! Whenever I inoculate my pots, I collect the water that runs out and water other pots with that, too!
 
after doing a little research, over time the amount of trichoderma present in a potted plant will be directly proportional to root mass (which makes sense since it is a symbiotic relationship. Hence one of the benefits of using trich in the first place)... so it may be a good idea to "farm" using a fern (Osmunda maybe??) or something with a bigger root mass then the typical CP and catch the run off from it.

I couldnt find any research concerning this specific question though... but I think we can infer that using "soil" only would not be a very good method, all things being equal between the two options.... the run off would definitely be better

personally, I innoculate monthly using spores :)

HTH's
Av
 
personally, I innoculate monthly using spores :)



And how do you do that Av? Just by watering plants with a Trich solution??

Is this the preferred way to introduce the beneficial fungus to CP plants?

AND, what species of CP (if any) would we not want to encounter Trich spores?

Thanks,


***Has anyone here ever encountered health problems using Trichoderma??
 
Fryster,

I use several products, but my fav is AMPAC Biotech's strain... my experience over the last few years indicates to me it is the best... that being said I usually mix up a cocktail of several strains plus some bacteria

The Trichoderma strains commonly used as biocontrols have been found to be safe when used as directed.. its pretty fool proof, but of course my lawyer would advise that I tell you to follow all recommended precautions regardless of how overboard they may or may not be (how's that for a disclaimer LOLOL)

after all, I know some people who can break a ball bearing with a piece of tissue paper

but here is a govt information doc on the subject

http://geocities.com/butchtincher/research1/trichoderma_summary.pdf

I typically use "flowable" products for monthly drench plus their granular product for transplant and "problem" areas

ampac's granular isnt listed on their webpage, just call and ask for kelly.. its her own formula

I use trich on everything I grow, cp or whatever

Av
 
Thanks Av.

I have some Rootshield that I'm gonna try on my CP's as well as my regular 'ol houseplants.

It's a greyish powder; I suppose it's not safe to snort huh? ;)
 
errr only if you chase it with some warm water LOL

I have 3 cans of rootshield in my fridge, keep it refrigerated and check the expiration date on the lid, it has a 6 month advertised shelf life... more times then not when I have ordered it online I get some that is as much as 2 yrs out of date, in fact now that I think about it this has happened every time.... watch out for the exp date sticker missing on the lid as well...

Its T22 strain is well proven, the only issue I have with it is Rootshield's very low spore count, but I use it as part of my "cocktail"

give ampac a try next time around ;)

Av
 
Thanks for all the help! I used it on my cephs, neps and even VFTs. :-O
 
  • #10
Is Ampac available everywhere or is it an online thing?

Have you heard of (or used) a product called MycoBoost?

So, RootShield, Ampac and MycoBoost are all considered beneficial fungus for roots but are also different strains? Is that correct?

And different spores are what your "cocktail" is comprised of? Yes?

Thanks! :)
 
  • #11
Ampac is only available from them, they have the sole rights to their specific strain... it was discovered by one of their research scientist who is a professor at University of Alaska (may have the college name wrong, but its in alaska... going by memory) and patented by ampac...so you buy direct from the mfg when you order from them, super fresh in other words... plus it is a tough as nails species, very antagonistic toward the phytopathogens... good stuff (2 yr advertised shelf life)

there are a lot of products on the market now due to the increse demand from your indoor pot growing crowd, most will have some combo of the T22 strain and maybe one or two others with some Bacillus (sp?) bacteria added..

what you have to watch out for is how old is it, how was it stored, what is the spore count etc etc etc, most of your lil fly by night hydro shops dont refrigerate, or they remove the expiration dates... etc, best to deal with the major vendors, and even with them I have never got any that wasnt out of date on the first try... so I try to deal direct with the mfg... which isnt a prob usually,

back to work... break time over
Butch
 
  • #12
Can't really add much since my buddy B here explained it out pretty well. :) But I will relate my experience a bit as well.

I can say based on my personal experience as well that I find it very very useful. To be absolutely clear, you don't really see any change in your plants.... trich is not a fertilizer. So you will not see any growth boost....or any thing like that. All you notice is that your plants look healthy and keep growing. The only case of where I saw a "perk up" was in the case with my VFT's getting shock traps all the time. I used trich solution on it and after a month or so...they started making normal traps. Now bear in mind...that shock traps is due to root rot by media compaction.... no aeration etc. I did also poke holes in the media using a stick at the same time and removed the hard carpet of surface moss as well. So yeah.... its not really a good testement....but hey! I love this stuff and I definately will be using it forever as long as I have CP's. :)
 
  • #13
Varun brings up a very important point,

Biocontrols are analogous to eating right and getting your exercise, what you notice is your plants grow better then they did last year, they are more colorful, you no longer have the fungal problems you use to have, the root mass is larger, they are more resistant to disease, you can use greater amounts of fertilizer etc etc etc...

but then again, many people have "cured" botrytis and other phytopathogen attacks with them as well...

Personally, I consider them essential...
Av
 
  • #14
That is very good advice Av.

What you said about direct from the manufacturers makes a lot of sense.

These beneficial fungus' sound almost necessary for outdoor growers especially.


I think you should write a short "sticky" on biocontrols for the forum. :D
 
  • #15
Fry,

Actually the plants that need it the most are our potted TC plants, when propagated in this manner they have been raised in an uber clean, sterile environment. But now without the protection of natural biocontrols they are prime targets for the first pathogen that happens to be floating by or gets carried in by a fungus gnat.

In nature, beneficial fungi and bacteria are pretty common.. maybe not in the terminator versions that are now available to the hobbyist, but still there in great numbers doing their job.

When was the last time you saw mother nature using a chemical fungicide. What could be better then a living organism that will seek out the phytopathogen and attack it while at the same time stimulating the host plant's growth

3.5 billion years of evolution has to be pretty dang good eh ;)

Av
 
  • #16
Trichoderma is primarily used to reduce to possibility of botrytis infection during dormancy.

Plants need to be treated a few months beforehand as it takes time for it to grow along the roots, especially in peat. It's invisible by the way.

In theory it should have any effect on growth, size or flowering and merely reduces the chanc of death by disease.
 
  • #17
Is this the same forest green mold known as "Trichoderma" that infests my sterile cultures?
If so, I can send ya some. I just won't throw out my infected cultures I'll ship them off to you guys! :-O

You shouldn't have to innoculate too many pots if you ever lift your plants up, the mold will sporulate and spread all over everything with movement/touch/bumping, etc, if you ever go to do sterile work, you will really have to work at keeping clean after being around it, you won't be able to see the spores until they germinate snd go to town on your agar.
 
  • #18
Swords brings up an important point, not all species of Trichoderma are the same... some actually do harm, hence the reason to use commerical products of known benefical species.

My statements and opinions are based solely on my personal use of it over the last few years

I suggest that anyone interested in it read the independent research then decide for themselves, the data is pretty overwhelming

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=trichoderma+phytopathogen

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=trichoderma+symbiotic

excellent article from Departments of
Horticultural Sciences and
Plant Pathology,Cornell
University, (a must read if really interested)


a brief example of current data:
Trichoderma-treated plants were more developed than nontreated plants throughout the experiment. Electron microscopy of ultrathin sections from Trichoderma-treated roots revealed penetration of Trichoderma into the roots, restricted mainly to the epidermis and outer cortex. Strengthening of the epidermal and cortical cell walls was observed, as was the deposition of newly formed barriers. These typical host reactions were found beyond the sites of potential fungal penetration. Wall appositions contained large amounts of callose and infiltrations of cellulose. The wall-bound chitin in Trichoderma hyphae was preserved, even when the hyphae had undergone substantial disorganization. Biochemical analyses revealed that inoculation with Trichoderma initiated increased peroxidase and chitinase activities within 48 and 72 h, respectively. These results were observed for both the roots and the leaves of treated seedlings, providing evidence that T. harzianum may induce systemic resistance mechanisms
Applied and Enviromental Microbiology, March 1999

Av
 
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