Efficacy of T34 Biocontrol® in strawberry and other berry crops

1. 01 How much does T34 Biocontrol® cut the incidence of Phytophthora spp. in strawberry, and what happens to yield?
   Fourteen GEP trials were run in strawberry against crown and root rot. Ten were carried out in Central Europe (Germany, Poland and Romania, 2020–2022) and four in Southern Europe (Spain and Italy, 2019–2020). T34 Biocontrol® was tested at three rates against a reference chemical treatment and an untreated control. It was applied first as a root dip before transplanting and then through drip irrigation. The dossier reports the reduction in incidence, plant mortality and the yield gain achieved by each treatment. 14 official GEP trials · Eurofins, Promo-vert and SAGEA · Germany, Poland, Romania, Spain and Italy · 2019–2022
2. 02 Does the response hold up against Phytophthora spp. in raspberry?
   The two GEP trials in raspberry were carried out at Cartaya and Rociana del Condado (Huelva) in 2020, in the open field and under tunnels, with the varieties Wengi and Glen Rocío. They follow the same design: three rates against the chemical standard and the untreated control. The dossier gives incidence and yield for each treatment. It also includes a combined analysis of the six Southern European trials: four in strawberry and two in raspberry. 2 official GEP trials · Promo-vert · Huelva, Spain · 2020
3. 03 What results were obtained against Botrytis cinerea on the fruit?
   Three trials were run in Andalusia with the varieties Camarosa and Rociera. One under glass at the University of Seville (2007); two under micro-tunnels in Huelva, conducted by Agricultura y Ensayo (2009 and 2011). All three measured the proportion of affected fruit across the harvest period against two reference chemical fungicides and an untreated control. The dossier charts how disease developed at each assessment date. It also shows how the response varied with rate in each trial. 3 trials · University of Seville and Agricultura y Ensayo · Seville and Huelva · 2007–2011
4. 04 What have research centres observed about crown rots?
   The dossier brings together three studies:
   
   SCEPTRE programme (United Kingdom, 2012): funded by AHDB and run by NIAB at East Malling. It tested T34 against Phytophthora cactorum in strawberry cv. Elsanta, alongside other biological and chemical fungicides. It recorded symptomatic plants and plant deaths.
   
   University of Seville (2011): glasshouse trial against Macrophomina phaseolina, the cause of charcoal rot, with artificial inoculation of the pathogen.
   
   Observación en laboratorio (2021): documenta cómo T34 parasita las hifas de Macrophomina. NIAB at East Malling (SCEPTRE programme) · University of Seville · Fitosanidad Perú
5. 05 Does T34 Biocontrol® affect fruit shelf life and quality after harvest?
   Two independent studies published in Egypt examine the effect of preharvest field applications:
   
   PPATHRI (2022): assessed, over two seasons in cv. Festival, rot caused by Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer during storage. It also measured firmness, soluble solids and ascorbic acid after 15 days of storage.
   
   Ain Shams and Heliopolis universities (2023): studied fruit rots in the field and after harvest in three varieties. 2 scientific publications · PPATHRI, Ain Shams University and Heliopolis University · Egypt · 2022–2023
6. 06 What happens when T34 is evaluated under commercial conditions?
   The dossier includes a trial on a commercial blueberry farm (cv. Biloxi) at Trujillo-Virú (Peru) in 2019, with five rates against an untreated control. Two problems were assessed in the same crop: root damage caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi and flower infection by Botrytis cinerea. Commercial conditions · Blueberry · Trujillo-Virú, Peru · 2019

Every answer is in the dossier. Each one with its trial, its testing centre and its conditions, so you can weigh them against the conditions on your own farm.