A reduction in the use of chemical pesticides would have desirable human health as well as environmental benefits. Consequently, the U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, has adopted a pest management policy which would give preference to non-chemical pest control measures. Unfortunately, since reliable, non-chemical control measures are not available for fungal root diseases of conifers, chemicals must still be used. Newly developed technologies are available for obtaining effective environmentally safe strains of microorganisms which will protect plants from root disease. New methods for coating seeds with these beneficial organisms have also been developed. These technologies have not been applied to forest nurseries. Research will be conducted on the use of new protoplast fusion progeny of Trichoderma and new seed coating technologies in biological disease control systems in forest nurseries. Co- inoculation with selected strains of ectomycorrhizal fungi, Laccaria and Rhizopogon, will also be performed. The test system will be for control of damping-off and root rot diseases of Douglas-fir caused by Pythium, Fusarium, Phytophthora, and Cylindrocarpon. The anticipated outcome will be a new seed coating product available to federal, State and private forest nurseries for biological disease control of fungal root diseases of conifers. Such systems could also be adapted for food crops as well as horticultural and ornamental industries. The localized nature of biocontrol needs for each type of crop could stimulate the development of small biotechnology companies.
