Abstract

MICHEL-ACEVES, A. C. et al. Trichoderma harzianum Rifai mass production in different organic sustrates. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2008, vol.14, n.2, pp.185-191. ISSN 2007-4034.

One of the substrates used to reproduce Trichoderma spp., is the relatively high cost whole rice grain. In order to find an organic, economical and available substrate in the region, in which this fungus could have a good development and a high viable spores production, this research was established with the objective to evaluate 15 organic substrates for T. harzianum massive reproduction and spores viability, and to associate it with the nutrimental composition of the evaluated substrates. Husk tomato (flower calyx); rice (flower glumes, lemma and palea); garlic (coriaceous cataphyllary); cocoa (seed coat); sesame (fruit pericarp); peanut (fruit pericarp); coffee (fruit pericarp); bean sheath (fruit pericarp); corn cob (feminine inflorescence rachis); rice, sorghum, bird seed and corn grains; soybean and corn stubble were evaluated. A completely randomized design with eight replications was used. Spore number and viability percentage was quantified and it was correlated with the proximal chemical analysis. The corn cob was the best substrate for the T. harzianum production and spore germination with 4.43 x 10⁸ ml^-1 and 99.0% viability. Based on the proximal chemical analysis, the mycelium development, esporulation and spores viability, T. harzianum has a good production in those organic substrates that have high humidity percentage, low mineral, protein and fat content, and an intermediate fiber percentage.

Keywords : massive reproduction; corn cob; chemical proximal analysis; biological control agent.