There are a few references to T. saturnisporum isolated from different media but not its ability to promote plant growth or biocontrol. This is the first report of T. saturnisporum as a seedling growth promoter and as biological control agent.

Compost teas (CT) are fermented watery extracts of composted materials that are used to control plant diseases and on crop fertilization. In this work, aerated (ACT) and non-aerated compost teas (NCT) were obtained from four different composts: spent mushroom substrate compost, grape marc compost, greenhouse horticultural crop residues compost, and vermicompost. Physico-chemical and microbiological analysis were carried out to determine their properties. In vitro assays were performed to assess their suppressive effect on the mycelial growth of eight fungal phytopathogens. In vivo trials aimed to assess their effect on gummy stem blight (Didymella bryonae) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera fusca) in melon plants. Results showed that ACT and NCT filtrates inhibited the in vitro growth of all tested pathogens while autoclaved CT did not completely lose their inhibitory effect, and CT sterilized by microfiltration had no effect on the pathogen growth. The severity of powdery mildew was highly reduced by ACT and NCT from all sources, though in gummy stem blight assay only a delay in disease development was observed. In general, all compost teas showed a high level of microbial populations and nutrients. Results suggest that the efficacy of ACT and NCT firstly depend on the microbiota present in them. We consider compost teas from the four tested sources as a viable way to manage plant diseases and crop fertilization, throughout its integration in pest management programs and fertirrigation systems under different dilution rates.

Trichoderma-based biostimulants are considered the most effective plant growth–promoting fungi. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of two Trichoderma saturnisporum isolates on the growth promotion of melon (Cucumis melo) seeds and seedlings as well as their effect on the performance of the cantaloupe “Charentais” melon crop cultivar Gandalf cultivated under a typical parral-type greenhouse. For these purposes, germination trials and two experiments were performed in a commercial nursery, conventional system, and large plant system. Two experiments were also established for 2 years (two crop cycles) in a commercial greenhouse in Almería, Spain. In addition, we evaluated the influence of these isolates (T1 and T2) on the Charentais melon yield and quality. High values for seedling vigor and root length were obtained by T. saturnisporum T1 (93.50%) and T2 (93.75%) against control (62%). Trichoderma saturnisporum T1 and T2 increased the quality of plants in conventional system and large plant system and can be considered as biostimulant. Trichoderma saturnisporum treatments resulted in significantly larger crop productivity without a negative effect on the fruit quality parameters. Melon productivity increased in T. saturnisporum treatments T1 (13.99%) and T2 (16.04%), while at the same time increases the average fruit weight up to 7.71% for T2 isolate. Trichoderma saturnisporum act as biostimulants for nursing and commercial melon crops without negative effects on fruit quality. This is the first report describing T. saturnisporum as a potential crop yield promoter.

In late 2003, a new disease appeared in protected bean crops in southeastern Spain, causing a decrease of over 50% in production. Several samples of affected plants were collected and analyzed and the agent of this disease was identified as the bacterium Erwinia aphidicola, which had never been described as a pathogen previously. We attempted to determine the possible bacterium transmission through seeds, using 120 commercial bean seeds from the same batch as that used in an affected farm, and 120 seeds from the fruiting plants of the same farm. Seed coats, cotyledons and leaves of plants originating from them, were taken and analyzed. Several of the developed symptoms on plants from commercial and fruiting plant seeds were internervial chlorosis, necrotic pits and rough roots and they coincided with those observed on affected crops. Bacteria present in commercial seed cotyledons were isolated and analyzed by biochemical and molecular tests. Results confirmed the presence of Erwinia aphidicola in four analyzed seeds; moreover, Bacillus simplex/Bacillus muralis, Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas putida and Paenibacillus polymyxa were also identified.