Project Code: BPR17-021
Project Lead
Oualid Ellouz - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Objective
Development of an integrated management approach that incorporates the biopesticide Foretryx® for the control of root/crown rot and leaf blight diseases caused by Phytophthora capsici in field green peppers
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Pest Management Centre (PMC) provides regulatory support for biopesticide companies to register their products selected by Canadian growers. The PMC also supports Integrated Pest Management (IPM) projects which incorporate selected biopesticide products aiming to optimize their efficacy in commercial farms and demonstrate growers the best way to use these products as part of their pest management programs.
Phytophthora capsici can cause severe crown/root rot and leaf blight in field grown peppers, tomatoes and cucurbits. The pathogen has developed tolerance/resistance to the commonly used fungicides so it is challenging to control the diseases by the use of individual fungicides. The fungal biopesticide Foretryx® (ISAGRO Società per azioni (S.p.A.)), composed of Trichoderma asperellum and T. gamsii species was selected by growers as a priority solution for the management of various diseases in multiple crops including the crown/root rot and leaf blight in field green pepper.
This three year project aims to develop an IPM approach by assessing combinations of individual pest management practices with Foretryx® for the sustainable management of the target diseases. The project work includes: molecular detection of pathogen density in soil; optimization of application rates of Foretryx® as per the pathogen density in soil; evaluation of the flat versus high pepper planting beds; evaluation of the effects of mulches on pathogen spread; and assessing the effects of irrigation frequency and soil moisture on the occurrence of diseases. The promising combinations will be validated in the demonstration field plots and their economic benefits will be analyzed. The IPM information generated by the project will be presented to growers in field tours and grower meetings. This project is expected to lead to sustainable management for Phytophthora diseases in field green peppers by adding more tools to the control toolbox and also by slowing down the development of pathogen resistance to available fungicides.