RootDei Biocontrol®

RootDei Biocontrol® is a biological fungicide for certified control of Rhizoctonia solani in potato cultivation. Officially approved, field-tested, and trusted by agronomists across Europe.

Approved in Germany 

BVL 00A933-00

Active ingredient:
Trichoderma asperellum strain T34
Target:
Rhizoctonia solani
Registered in:
DE, NL, FR, AT, BL
REGULATORY CONTEXT
0 %

The previously authorized active substances were withdrawn from the market in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

Active substance reduction & market pressure over growers

The most widely used active substances for Rhizoctonia solani control in potato cultivation are currently under European Commission scrutiny for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as degradation products, and their long-term effects on soil and water quality. Other products have already been withdrawn from the market.

Being prepared for the future means having alternatives that match their efficacy on controlling disease. And if those alternatives also deliver better marketable yield and improve soil health season after season — here is how modern biotechnology makes it possible, backed by scientific evidence and field data.

More about PFAS and the future of plant protection

BVL approved

No. 00A933-00

Listed in the FiBL Input list
for organic
production in Germany

Product Controlled
by ECOCERT SAS

FRAC Group BM02

multiple action mechanisms

ROOTED IN SCIENCE

More than 20 years of research in biological control agents for plant protection

More than 25 years ago, Emeritus Professor Dr. María Isabel Trillas at the Universitat de Barcelona identified an exceptional strain of Trichoderma asperellum: highly effective, adaptable to different crops and conditions, active against multiple soil-borne pathogens, and capable of working through different application strategies. That strain, now patented and registered as T. asperellum strain T34, became the scientific foundation of Biocontrol Technologies.

What began as scientific research soon proved to have a much broader value. T34 was not a microorganism to remain confined to the laboratory: over years of trials, crops and field conditions, it continued to demonstrate its potential as a practical biological tool for modern crop protection.

Today, the Chair of Microorganisms in Agriculture — a joint initiative of Biocontrol Technologies and the University of Barcelona maintains this commitment to applied research.

The product

RootDei Biocontrol®

RootDei Biocontrol® is a specific microbial plant protection product formulated with the biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperellum strain T34. A powerfull tool  designed for potato cultivation, focused on Rhizoctonia solani control.

RootDei Biocontrol® was developed to be integrated into standard planting proceses and systems — without changing machinery or adding complexity to the grower’s routine.

It brings together what growers need today: reliable disease control, compatibility with sustainable production, support for soil and root health, and a practical way to protect yield and quality in a changing regulatory context.

Easy Integration
DISEASE CONTROL
marketable yield
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

A highly concentrated formulation with one powerful strain

RootDei Biocontrol® is applied once to the planting furrow during sowing. The product integrates seamlessly into standard planting processes — without additional steps or machine changes. Colonization of the rhizosphere by T. asperellum T34 protects the plant during the critical phase of tuber development.

Active substance approval
Regulation (EU) Nº 1238/2012
EPPO zone
EU Central (Maritime + Continental)

Product data sheet

Product
RootDei Biocontrol®
Active ingredient
Trichoderma asperellum strain T34
Type
Biofungicide
Formulation
WP — wettable powder
Concentration
1012 CFU/kg
Active ingredient content
12 % w/w
Application dose
250 g/ha
Package size
1 kg
Storage stability 4 °C
> 24 months
Storage stability 20 °C
15 months
FRAC group
BM02
MRL
No MRLs

Dose depends on the pathogen, the crop and the application method: always read the authorized label. Technical data sheet (PDF) · SDS (PDF)

APPLICATION METHODS

Easy integration into existing cultivation processes

RootDei Biocontrol® is designed to integrate naturally into standard potato farming practices. The primary application method requires no additional machinery or step

Main application · Approved in Germany

In-furrow application

A single application at sowing – directly into the planting line, at the same time as planting the tubers.

No additional treatments are required during the entire harvest cycle. Protects roots and stolons from the very beginning of tuber development.

BVL approved No. 00A933-00
1 single In-furrow application with 250 g/ha ·
Compatible with standard planting machines
MODE OF ACTION

Multiple Mechanisms of Action.

One systemic protective effect.

Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 works through a network of mechanisms that not only combat pathogens but also promote plant health. The FRAC classifies T34 under group BM02 — a multi-mode microbial control product that prevents the development of resistance.

FRAC BM02

Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 is classified under FRAC group BM02 — microbial agents with multiple simultaneous modes of action.

Resistance development in Rhizoctonia solani or among other diseases would require simultaneous mutations against all — evolutionarily near-impossible. 

Efficacy remains stable across multiple growing seasons.

Effect on the pathogen

Direct Mycoparasitism

T34 recognizes the hyphae of pathogenic fungi, attaches to them, and breaks them down using lytic enzymes. Effective against Rhizoctonia solani , Botrytis spp., and others.

Parasitation of Sclerotia

RootDei Biocontrol® is able to parasitize the sclerotia of Rhizoctonia solani , thereby breaking down the infectious structures of the pathogen and sustainably reducing the sources of infection in the soil.

Competition for Space and Nutrients

T34 rapidly colonizes the rhizosphere and, through its rapid colonization, prevents the establishment of pathogens. It has been shown to suppress a wide range of pathogens: Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., and others.

Production of Biostatic Metabolites

RootDei Biocontrol® produces specific bioactive compounds with inhibitory effects against fungi such as Sclerotinia spp., Rhizoctonia solani,  Streptomyces cabiei, Helminthosporium solani and others.

Possitive effect on the plant

Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR)

It improves the plant’s natural defense mechanisms against a variety of biotic stressors. The plant reacts faster and more effectively to pathogen attack.

Stimulation of Root Development

Promotes the formation of secondary roots and root hairs, improves water and nutrient uptake and supports vigorous plant development from the beginning of the growing cycle.

Improved Nutrient Assimilation

Strengthens the root system and releases beneficial compounds in the rhizosphere, leading to better nutrient utilization and greater efficiency of the resources used.

Induction of Germination

Promotes rapid and even germination and supports vigorous plant growth — especially relevant under stressful conditions due to climatic fluctuations.

 
More info about T. Asperellum strain T34 mechanisms of action
Spectrum of activity

Approved for Rhizoctonia solani

Broader protection potential under development

Stem Canker and Black Scurf

Rhizoctonia solani
BVL approved · No. 00A933-00

Black scab and stem canker in potatoes — the most important soil-borne disease in potato cultivation in temperate climates. 

Economic impacts are both quantitative (yield loss) and qualitative (tuber quality, marketability).

0 %
Average disease incidence in untreated plots in the official GEP trials.
0 %
Average disease reduction with RootDei Biocontrol® 250 g/ha — statistically comparable to standard chemical treatment
+ 0 %

Yield increase compared to standard chemical treatement

DISEASE CONTROL— 14/15 GEP TRIALS
DISEASE INCIDENCE (UNTREATED)
Ø 35.2%
REDUCTION OF DISEASE CHEMICAL TREATMENT
Ø 65.1%
REDUCTION OF DISEASE ROOTDEI 250 G/HA
AVERAGE 40.6%
YIELD INCREASE — 8/8 GEP TRIALS
MARKETABLE YIELD VS. UNTREATED
+ 5.8%
MARKETABLE YIELD VS. CHEMICALS
+ 3.7%
NON-MARKETABLE YIELD VS. CHEMICALS
-28.35%
GEP 
Companies:
Field trials in Europe

Active trials across Europe

GEP Trials conducted by accredited independent institutions

The efficacy and safety of RootDei Biocontrol® has been confirmed in official trials according to Good Experimental Practice (GEP) — ​​the strictest standard for the approval of plant protection products in the EU.

 
European research for Potato growers

Participation in the RhizocNEW project

Biocontrol Technologies, with its RootDei Biocontrol®, is participating in the Dutch RhizocNEW project — an innovative European research initiative for the sustainable control of Rhizoctonia solani in potato cultivation. The project is coordinated, among others, by Wageningen University & Research.

Participation in this research project underlines our commitment to scientific validation under real European growing conditions — beyond the GEP trials already conducted.

Core content of the cluster 6 Specialist modules

Plant protection in potato cultivation — from genetics to field practice

Each module is built on scientific evidence and real field experience. For farmers, agronomic consultants and sales partners.


Module I · Beyond genetic breeding Online
Module II · Application in the seed furrow Online
Module III · Rhizoctonia solani infection cycle Coming soon
Module IV · Globodera spp. pathogen cycle Coming soon
Modules V–VI · Action Mechanisms In preparation
Knowledge Cluster · Potato cultivation

From science, directly into the field.

Application protocols, GEP results, training videos and complete technical dossier — freely accessible to farmers, consultants and sales.
Sales and consulting

Your contact person for RootDei Biocontrol®

RootDei Biocontrol® is available in European markets, the BCT team is available directly.