Combined Biological and Chemical Control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Oilseed Rape in the Era of Climate Change

Jakub Danielewicz (), Ewa Jajor, Joanna Horoszkiewicz, Marek Korbas, Łukasz Sobiech, Monika Grzanka, Zuzanna Sawinska, Jan Bocianowski and Jakub Cholewa
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Jakub Danielewicz: Department of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection—National Research Institute, Władysława Wegorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland
Ewa Jajor: Department of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection—National Research Institute, Władysława Wegorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland
Joanna Horoszkiewicz: Department of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection—National Research Institute, Władysława Wegorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland
Marek Korbas: Department of Mycology, Institute of Plant Protection—National Research Institute, Władysława Wegorka 20, 60-318 Poznan, Poland
Łukasz Sobiech: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Monika Grzanka: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Zuzanna Sawinska: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Jan Bocianowski: Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Jakub Cholewa: Agresta sp. z o.o., Młynarska 7, 01-205 Warszawa, Poland

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: This study investigates the biocontrol potential of Trichoderma asperellum and Coniothyrium minitans against the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , which causes yield losses in many plants, including oilseed rape ( Brassica napus ) cultivation. This research emphasizes the promising alternative of hybrid control, specifically using T. asperellum and C. minitans in strategy with synthetic fungicides. In vitro experiments demonstrated that T. asperellum effectively inhibited S. sclerotiorum mycelial growth, especially when combined with synthetic fungicides such as azoxystrobin. Field trials conducted over two years revealed that pre-sowing applications of T. asperellum and C. minitans , followed by fungicide treatments during the flowering stage, significantly reduced plant infection rates and improved both yield and seed quality across different oilseed rape cultivars. The results indicated an efficacy range of 81% to 100% in controlling the pathogen and highlighted the synergistic effects of combining biological and chemical controls. Overall, the research findings support the integration of T. asperellum and C. minitans into sustainable agricultural practices for oilseed rape, offering a viable strategy to enhance disease management while reducing reliance on chemical fungicides. This research underscores the importance of adopting innovative biocontrol approaches to improve crop health and productivity.

Keywords: biofungicide; integrated plant protection; Sclerotinia stem rot; white mold; Trichoderma sp.; plant diseases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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