How to Use Trichoderma: Dosage, Methods and Best Practices

What is Trichoderma and how does it protect crops?

Trichoderma is a group of beneficial fungi that live naturally in healthy soil. Selected strains such as Trichoderma viride and Trichoderma harzianum colonise the root zone and protect plants in three ways: they compete with disease-causing fungi for space and food, they attack and feed on the mycelium of those pathogens, and they trigger the plant's own defence system. The result is fewer root infections and a stronger, deeper root system.

Because Trichoderma is a living organism, it works best as a preventive treatment, applied before or at sowing so that it is already established when soil-borne pathogens become active.

Which diseases does it help control?

• Wilt caused by Fusarium
• Root rot and collar rot caused by Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium
• Damping-off in nurseries caused by Pythium
• Seed rot and seedling blight

Which crops benefit most?

Trichoderma is used across vegetables (tomato, chilli, brinjal, cucurbits, onion), pulses (chickpea, pigeon pea), oilseeds (groundnut, soybean), cotton, sugarcane, banana, pomegranate, citrus and plantation crops. It is particularly valuable in fields with a history of wilt or root rot, and in nurseries where damping-off can wipe out a batch of seedlings.

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Seed & Seedling Treatment

Nano Tricho Seed Guard 100 g

Dosage: 10 g per kg of seed

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Nano Trichoderma Nursery Pack 250 g

Dosage: 5 g per litre of water; 250 g per 100 kg potting mix

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Nano Trichoderma Powder 1 kg

Active ingredient: Trichoderma viride (nano-formulated)

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How to apply Trichoderma: step by step

1. Seed treatment

Make a slurry of the powder with a little water (adding jaggery or gum helps it stick), coat the seed evenly and dry it in shade for 20–30 minutes before sowing. Follow the dose printed on your pack label.

2. Soil application with compost

Mix the recommended quantity with well-decomposed farmyard manure or compost, keep the heap moist and covered in shade for 5–7 days so the fungus multiplies, then broadcast it in the field before sowing or transplanting.

3. Drenching and drip

For standing crops, dissolve the product in water and drench the root zone or apply through drip irrigation. Repeat at the interval recommended on the label, usually every 20–30 days during the risk period.

4. Nursery and pro-trays

Mix into the potting medium before filling trays, or drench seedlings once after germination to protect against damping-off.

Best practices for reliable results

• Keep the soil moist. Trichoderma needs moisture and organic matter to establish.
• Avoid mixing with chemical fungicides. Keep a gap of several days between a chemical fungicide and a Trichoderma application.
• Combine with organic matter. Compost, FYM and neem cake improve establishment.
• Store correctly. Keep packs in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and use them before the expiry date.
• Apply early. Preventive use at sowing gives far better results than waiting for symptoms.

What makes a nano-formulation different?

A nano-formulation uses a finer carrier and particle size so the product disperses evenly in water, passes through drip filters without clogging and spreads uniformly through the root zone. Ask the supplier for the guaranteed CFU (colony-forming units) count and a Certificate of Analysis for each batch.

Conclusion

Trichoderma is one of the most effective biological tools for preventing soil-borne disease. Apply it early, keep the soil moist, feed it with organic matter and keep it away from chemical fungicides, and it will protect your crop while improving soil health season after season.