Coniothyrium minitans for protection of cultivated plants from attacks by fungal pathogens belonging to the genus phoma spp. or verticillium spp.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling phytopathogenic fungi of the genus Phoma spp. and Verticillium spp. comprising applying Coniothyrium minitans strain CON/M/91-08 or a mutant having all identifying characteristics of the respective strain in an effective amount to the root system of a plant, to harvest residues or to the soil on which a crop plant grows or is intended to grow. Also disclosed is the use of said strain for controlling phytopathogenic fungi of the genus Phoma spp. and Verticillium spp.

1 . A method for controlling phytopathogenic fungi of the genus  Phoma  spp. and  Verticillium  spp. comprising applying  Coniothyrium minitans  strain CON/M/91-08 or a mutant having all identifying characteristics of the respective strain in an effective amount to the root system of a plant, to harvest residues or to the soil on which a crop plant grows or is intended to grow. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied in the form of spores, conidia, hyphae or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied in the form of conidia. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said conidia are present in a wettable granule (WG) or a liquid formulation. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said formulation is a WG formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied pre-planting, during growth or post-harvest. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied pre-planting. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said plant is the genus  Brassica  spp. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said plant is  Brassica napus.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said  Brassica napus  plant is winter oilseed rape. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising applying simultaneously or subsequently at least one further plant protection agent to the root system of a plant, to harvest residues or to the soil on which a crop plant grows or is intended to grow. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said plant protection agent is a fungicide effective against at least one fungal pathogen from the genus  Phoma  spp. or  Verticillium  spp. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied at an application rate of between about 500 g/ha and about 20 kg/ha in a formulation comprising about 1×10 9  viable spores/g. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said  Coniothyrium minitans  strain is applied at an application rate of between about 1×10 12  and about 4×10 12  viable spores/ha. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said plant protection agent is a fungicide selected from the group consisting of azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, picoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, isopyrazam, boscalid, fluxapyroxad, fluopyram, bixafen, isoflucypram, penthiopyrad, pydiflumetofen, benzovindiflupyr, prothioconazole, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, flutriafol, cyprodinil, fludioxonil,  B. subtilis  strain QST713,  B. pumilus  strain QST2808, carbendazim, thiophanat-methyl, procymidone, iprodione, and mixtures thereof.