RANDOMLY AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA-FINGERPRINTING IDENTIFIES SUBGROUPS OF TRICHODERMA-VIRIDE AND OTHER TRICHODERMA SP CAPABLE OF CHESTNUT BLIGHT BIOCONTROL

Eleven strains of Trichoderma viride, 2 strains of the putative teleom orph Hypocrea rufa and 9 of several other Trichoderma sp. were charact erized by random polymorphic DNA amplification (RAPD) fingerprinting a nd screened for their ability to antagonize growth of European strains of the chestnut blight causing fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, using a dual-culture assay. The best strains were found in the species T. h arzianum, T. parceramosum, a distinguishable subgroup of T. viride and a not named Trichoderma sp. The successful application of these strai ns against chestnut blight in vivo is demonstrated.