Production of natural antibiotic against fungi and bacteria

The crop protection days at the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk took place on 19 and 20 April. During these days, ECOstyle Professional presented a trial of the biological fungicide Lalstop K61 against the soil fungi Pythium and Fusarium. Due to interest, ECOstyle is once again presenting this trial online.

Lalstop K61 is a fungicide based on the streptomyces K61 bacteria. This bacterium produces a natural antibiotic (streptomycin) and auxins (plant hormone that stimulates root growth). Lalstop K61 is a robust soil bacterium that can be mixed with various chemical fungicides. It also produces antibiotics naturally, so concentrations are not burdensome.

Aukje presents petri dishes at the Crop Protection Days 2023

Protection against Pythium and Fusarium

The antibiotics reduce the growth of pathogenic fungi and bacteria. For example, Pythium cannot develop when Lalstop K61 is already developed on the roots of your crop.

The right-hand side of the image below shows a Petri dish full of Pythium, while the left-hand side shows a Petri dish where Lalstop K61 has been preventively applied. In the right Petri dish, you can see that Pythium has developed over the entire Petri dish (a large white haze). In the left Petri dish, it can be seen that the preventive application of Lalstop K61 clearly inhibited Pythium development. The green arrow indicates the Pythium-free zone. When Lalstop K61 is preventively present on the roots of your crop, it provides a similar Pythium-free zone there.

Improved root development

In addition to antibiotics, Lalstop K61 also produces auxins. Auxins are hormones that stimulate root development. Thus, the crop also develops more roots, improving the vitality of the crop. Since Pythium and Fusarium are weakness parasites, the improved root development and thus improved resilience also indirectly provides additional protection against these soil-borne fungi.