DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention disclosed herein is a delivery system for applying biological mycofungicides or other biologically active agents to soils to control or prevent plant fungal diseases (such as "damping-off" disease) or to provide some beneficial result to the plant.
A fungicidally effective amount of the biocontrol preparation is used.
The biological plant control composition of this invention comprises a carrier, preferably vermiculite, and fungal biomass.
The fungi are selected from species which are effective for control of soilborne diseases or maintenance of plant health.
The biological control preparation is prepared for delivery by: (1) growing the selected fungus and allowing it to sporulate under conditions favoring production of resistant spores or other survival structures, (2) blending the biomass with a dilute acid, (3) mixing the biomass with carrier, and (4) drying the mixture.
This dried preparation is first activated and then applied to soil or growth medium adjacent to the plants to be protected, or is applied as a seed coating.
The spores germinate to produce vegetative cells which act to control the target plant pathogens or to otherwise enhance the health of the plant.
Fungi may reproduce through the formation of sexually or asexually produced spores.
Spores produced under unfavorable conditions (e.
g.
, chlamydospores, ascospores, etc.
) are quite resistant to hostile environmental conditions, such as heat, dryness, unfavorable pH or nutrient conditions, etc.
When favorable conditions return, the spores germinate.
Under continued favorable conditions, large numbers of asexually derived spores may be produced.
This causes rapid spread of the fungus.
In order for fungal biocontrol to work for soilborne diseases such as those described above, living, actively metabolizing fungi must be present in the vicinity of the plant pathogen.
This may be at a distance from the germinating seed or may be on or near the root.
Biocontrol of these soilborne plant pathogens requires the presence of the living antagonist fungi where the pathogens exist and/or where they attack the plant
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