Preparation of Talaromyces flavus liquid and microcapsule formulations and their application in commercial tomato greenhouses to increase yield

With the recent advances in the application of biotechnology in various sciences, the preparation of liquid bio-formulations and microcapsule suspension/powder from the important antagonistic fungal agent Talaromyces flavus has been investigated in recent years. In the first year of this research, a type of liquid bioformulation, a type of microcapsule suspension, and a type of microcapsule powder were prepared for use in tomato greenhouses. During one year, commercial greenhouses were investigated in tomato greenhouses in two regions of Yazd and Isfahan with a history of Fusarium wilt disease. The treatments in each study of the commercial greenhouse were 1-3) each of the liquid formulations, microcapsule suspension, and microcapsule powder by soil application, 4-6) each of the liquid formulations, microcapsule suspension, and microcapsule powder with the tomato seedling root dip, 7) Talaromin fungicide by soil application, and 8) a control (without any formulation and fungicide application). The results indicated that all three formulations in both application methods (soil application or seedling root dip and seed impregnation for tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively) significantly increased the yield of tomatoes compared to the control. Altogether, microcapsule powder with seed impregnation and liquid formulation with soil application were the most effective treatments with approximately 50% and 60% increases in yield compared to the control, respectively, for the management of tomato Fusarium wilt disease. According to the obtained results, the production method of these formulations is considered technical knowledge, and it is possible to carry out their commercialization steps.