FACTORS INFLUENCING THE COMPETITIVE SAPROPHYTIC ABILITY OF TRICHODERMA SPECIES

The competitive saprophytic ability of twenty-eight strains of eight T richoderma species (T. atroviride, T. aureoviride, T. hamatum, T. harz ianum, T. koningii, T. piluliferum, T. pseudokoningii, and T. viride) was determined with an agar disk method. A wide range of this property was found among strains independently of their origin suggesting the necessity of selection before applying them in soil. In vitro growth r ate at different temperatures, cellulolytic activity and sensitivity o f the selected Trichoderma strains to in vitro inhibitory effect of va rious test bacteria and fungi were determined and used for multiple re gression analyses. Models based on the investigated parameters suggest ed that the tolerance to inhibitory effect of bacteria accounts mainly for the competitive success of Trichoderma.