I was doing some research for an appropriate fungicide that can be used on seeds to prevent fungus during cold stratification and during germination.    I came across a product called Actinovate http://www.naturalindustries.com/retail/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=3  that uses a bacterium, Streptomyces lyrics strain WYEC 108, to parasitize root decay fungi.   More information can be found about this microbe here http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_006327.htm

Trichoderma species are used for this sort of thing also, this is from Cornell:

In addition to colonizing roots, Trichoderma spp. attack, parasitize and otherwise gain nutrition from other fungi. Since Trichoderma spp. grow and proliferate best when there are abundant healthy roots, they have evolved numerous mechanisms for both attack of other fungi and for enhancing plant and root growth. Several new general methods for both biocontrol and for causing enhancement of plant growth have recently been demonstrated and it is now clear that there must be hundreds of separate genes and gene products involved in these processes. A recent list of mechanisms follows.

• Mycoparasitism
  
• Antibiosis
  
• Competition for nutrients or space
  
• Tolerance to stress through enhanced root and plant development
  
• Solubilization and sequestration of inorganic nutrients
  
• Induced resistance
  
• Inactivation of the pathogen’s enzymes

Thanks for the information about the Trichoderma.    It does look like they both act in similar ways.   I am fascinated by this biological way of killing fungus.   

I learned a lot about  co2 last year from Dan with my failed cuttings. I think my problems were from the combination of  compost, soluble mycorrhizae, and liquid seaweed. With other cuttings and plants, as well as seedlings, the liquid seaweed has done a great job of preventing fungus and dampening off. I have always watered seedlings with water and Maxicrop liquid seaweed, and I also mist seedlings with the seaweed solution. Never have a problem with dampening off. But it doesn't work very well on fig cuttings, however, when I was misting cuttings with seaweed solution I had no mold at all. Did have problems with co2.

Mycogrow soluble has some close species:

Brent,

If you have an option of rhizopogon you should skip that and go with a truffle species. They are direct competitors and if you get the occasional truffle so much the better. Beech mushrooms are another good choice.

I have used Actinovite on tomato plants, there is a lot of info at Tomatoville, lots of folks there use it

    I thought that I would bump this topic up and report on the use of the Actinovate product. I thought this would be pertinent since I have seen some postings with concerns about fungus on cuttings, etc.    

   I did use this product on all of my cuttings this past season.    I mostly root my cuttings using Jon's baggie method with a 50/50 mixture of Ultimate Potting Mix and coarse perlite.     I watered them using the recommended proportions of the Actinovate.    I used the usual caution to not overwater.

   All of my bags are kept in a large plastic tub with glass on top (cracked for ventilation) and a grow light.    The system has worked fairly well for me over the years but refinements over time have improved successes.

   I did have a higher percentage of surviving cuttings this past season but have no way to really say if it was the Actinovate or some other improvement that I made.    I can say for sure that it was not detrimental.  

  One other related comment - I've had my best successes with cuttings that were fresh and some extremely good results from cuttings taken in early spring just before bud break.    I think that a large number of fungus problems are related to the handling and storage of cuttings.    Conditions of the rooting set up are of course where fungus issues may also take hold.   

   Did anyone else use this product on figs this past season?

Ingevald

    

    

I have used it on peppers, strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers, it's works well preventively and if you get there before there is a problem present or very low pressure.