Fate of fungal biocontrol agents and their non-target effects on the native cultivable mycobiota in strawberry agroecosystems.

Field application of fungal biocontrol agents in strawberry crops results in a significant decline of T. harzianum populations and minimal effects on native mycobiota.

• Why it matters: Understanding the establishment and non-target impacts of BCAs is crucial for developing safe and effective biocontrol strategies in agriculture, yet data under field conditions remain limited.
• What they did: Researchers conducted field and semi-field experiments applying T. harzianum, C. rosea, and U. atrum on strawberries, measuring population densities and effects on native fungi on ripe berries over several weeks.
• The result: T. harzianum populations declined strongly from application to ripe berries, while native mycobiota showed no significant changes, indicating limited non-target effects and suggesting safety of these BCAs in strawberry production.