Assessment of the biocontrol potential of a Trichoderma viride isolate: Part I: Establishment of field and fungal cellar trials

A field trial has been set up to assess the biological control potential of a Trichoderma viride isolate, T60. This isolate had been shown in previous laboratory tests to be particularly effective against certain basidiomycete decay fungi. Wood was treated with T60 spores using vacuum pressure impregnation in a pilot preservation plant. Treated stakes were planted in the field site along with CCA-treated and untreated control samples. Replicate samples were also set up in an accelerated decay facility employed to give a comparison to the field trial results. This paper describes the setting up and monitoring of the field and fungal cellar trials, and presents results of moisture monitoring and sapstain assessment which indicate that Trichoderma viride isolate T60 has a marked effect on the rate of sapstain development under certain conditions. The paper also discusses the efficacy of pressure impregnation of spore suspensions for use as biological control agents