What’s coming in microbiology?: Changes, innovations and biologicals with greater prominence

Eduardo Donoso, phytopathologist and R&D director of Bio Insumos Nativa, shares his opinion regarding the topics that are most discussed in the field. Eduardo Donoso, phytopathologist and R&D director of Bio Insumos Nativa. There is an important demand from the markets to reduce waste and remove various chemical products from the programs, some significant for walnut trees, almond trees and other pits, such as the use of copper, where restrictions on its use are occurring, beyond of the possibility of residues remaining on the fruit, but because it is a heavy metal and generates a negative impact on the soil. The fungicide, Mancozeb, which is indicated for the prevention of numerous fungal diseases of a wide variety of crops, is also used to reduce the risk of resistance by pathogenic bacteria to copper, however it is one of the products that “comes “exit” from the market, since endocrine effects associated with Alzheimer’s have been seen. Currently, the European Community has already banned it, which will generate restrictions on its use in countries that export to that market. Along the same lines, copper restrictions are going to completely change the management of important diseases such as the Black Death, which currently has two or three applications in the central zone, which can be easily replaced with biologicals. On the other hand, in the south there are 16 to 18 applications per season, so it would be more difficult to solve. The complexity lies in the fact that they are old and cheap products, so all the other alternatives are much more expensive and a management strategy is required that allows the same level of control to be obtained with fewer applications of other products, since otherwise profitability would be reduced. Resistance inductor, one way What is quite strong in terms of management are products such as TANIRI (WP), a biostimulant based on Pseudomonas protegens, which acts as a natural growth promoter, improving plant development and helping to better cope with environmental stress conditions. in the tree. This resistance inducer causes the plant to generate defenses and with that an integrated control strategy is inserted, in addition to improving the control of the disease, not one hundred percent, but at a level that is acceptable. This is super interesting for walnut and almond trees, which ideally with fewer applications and wetting, better levels of control are achieved. This is all on an experimental level. “We hope that in two more seasons we will have consistent results with the resistance inducer.” If we make applications during pruning or leaf fall and colonize the buds with biologicals (Nacillus), regardless of when we do it, if it is before sprouting it will generate a significant impact on the level of incidence of the disease in the following season. . That has two interesting things, one that is innovative and two that allows you to start the season in better condition and that makes all the rest of the management easier. In the soil there is a transcendent opportunity because biologicals in the soil work excellently, better than chemicals in controlling diseases, but they also stimulate root growth and make plants much more efficient. Currently, we are seeing in cereals, tomatoes and potatoes that we can reduce fertilization up to half while maintaining the same yields, that reduces a lot of environmental impact, costs, since fertilizers are increasingly more expensive, and in turn with that It also lowers the carbon footprint since you replace a chemical. Generally it is replacing a kilo of chemicals with one of biological, but if you take out half of the fertilizers or 30% of them, you are talking about tons and that is less ships, trucks and less logistics moving all this, which already It does lower the carbon footprint. “There is a super important opportunity to lower costs and reduce the carbon footprint at the same time with applications that are very powerful to improve gardens.”.

Bacterial cancer

On this occasion, journalist Andrea Garrido talks with Eduardo Donoso, Director of Research and Development of Bio Insumos Nativa. How to prevent or detect bacterial cancer? What to do about this disease? We will tell you about it in the next chapter co-produced with Martínez & Valdivieso, official distributor of Bio Insumos Nativa.

Effect of Mamull (WP) on the control of Gnomoniopsis in chestnut trees

Eduardo Donoso, phytopathologist and R&D director of Bio Insumos Nativa, recounts his experience in this trial that he carried out together with José Pablo Correa, TriNuts chestnut advisor. Eduardo Donoso, phytopathologist and R&D director of Bio Insumos Nativa. Fungi are a constant problem in various crops, with this premise we decided to carry out a trial focused on a strategy of applying various biologicals to control Gnomoniopsis, a fungus that causes rot in chestnuts and also causes the leaves dry. Its presence causes post-harvest damage to rejected fruit and wood fungus. We carried out this test between 2019 and 2021 in orchards in two sectors of the country, Bulnes and Collipulli. It should be noted that the disease occurs when there are more rainy conditions. What we evaluated was a product called Mamull (WP), which is a biological fungicide that colonizes the points of cuts and wounds on the plant, preventing the entry of pathogenic microorganisms. Its strains present an effect of both competition, inhibition, and mycoparasitism. This product is used instead of painting pruning cuts, with Mamull (WP) these cuts are sprayed and colonized and wood fungi are prevented from entering, and it also eliminates the inoculum of the pathogen in the soil, either when the flower falls or the fruit from the previous year, the dead wood remains there as inoculums of these fungi. In this way, when applying it one colonizes it, reducing these sources of inoculum. Strategy Our strategy and execution began in the pre-flowering and beginning of flowering stage, where we applied Mamull to the leaf litter to control sclerotia and other reproductive structures and resistance to pathogenic fungi, both wood and fruit rot. Then, a resistance inducer was applied in tissues prior to infection that sought to increase the systemic response of the plant. After that, during flowering, Trichonativa was applied to colonize tissues susceptible to infection, prior to fruit formation. In order to continue in the pre-harvest stage where a resistance inducer was administered to increase the systemic response of the plant, to reduce the biotrophic infection phase, lengthening the puelche effect. To finish with the Mamull in the pruning period, where it was applied to the foliar pruning cuts and then to pruning remains in leaf litter, to avoid inoculum formation. Images of the trial and evolution of Gnomoniopsis in chestnut trees Positive results The results were quite good on the incidence of this pathogen and its impact on chestnut yield. There was, in fact, a significant decrease in damage; some orchards even took the treatment and duplicated it commercially. An orchard went from 73% incidence to 23%. As it was difficult to monitor the fruit at destination, we took samples of the treated and untreated fruit and took them to the laboratory and made a humid chamber, where we put them in conditions that favor the pathogen and from there we evaluated when the reduction in damage. Reduced disease damage level by 50% to 70%. A dissemination activity was carried out with the producers where we showed them the program and the results; currently some of them are applying it commercially.

2019

Incorporation of new distributors Summit Agro Perú and Disagro.

2018

Incorporation of Summit Agro Chile as distributor.

2018

T-inside, Ti subsidiary with multispectral monitoring applied to agriculture.

2017

Obtaining 2 new patents in the USA. Bafex-N® (Nematecide and root promoter) and Betk-03® (Insecticide for 3 strains of Bacillus Thuringiensis).

2015

Launch of the Jardines Line.

2013

Obtaining a Patent in the USA for Bactericide-Fungicide.