Spain has ranked 6th on the harvested bean area and 8th in bean production in the European Union (EU). The soils of this area have mixed silt loam and sandy loam texture, with moderate clay content, neutral or acidic pH, rich in organic matter and low carbonate levels, providing beans with high water absorption capacity and better organoleptic qualities after cooking. Similar to other crops, it is attacked by some phytopathogens. Hitherto, chemical methods have been used to control these organisms. However, with the Reform of the Community Agrarian Policy in the EU, the number of authorized plant protection products has been reduced to prevail food security, as well as to be sustainable in the long term, giving priority to the non-chemical methods that use biological agents, such as Trichoderma. This study aimed to investigate the relative importance of various crop soil parameters in the adaptation of Trichoderma spp. autoclaved soils (AS) and natural soils (NS) from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Alubia La Bañeza—León” that were inoculated with Trichoderma velutinum T029 and T. harzianum T059 and incubated in a culture chamber at 25 °C for 15 days. Their development was determined by quantitative PCR. Twelve soil samples were selected and analyzed from the productive zones of Astorga, La Bañeza, La Cabrera, Esla-Campos and Páramo. Their physicochemical characteristics were different by zone, as the texture of soils ranged between sandy loam and silt loam and the pH between strongly acid and slightly alkaline, as well as the organic matter (OM) concentration between low and remarkably high. Total C and N concentrations and their ratio were between medium and high in most of the soils and the rest of the micronutrients had an acceptable concentration except for Paramo’s soil. Both Trichoderma species developed better in AS than in NS, T. velutinum T029 grew better with high levels of OM, total C, ratio C:N, P, K, Fe, and Zn than T. harzianum T059 in clay soils, with the highest values of cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, Ca, Mg and Mn. These effects were validated by Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), texture, particularly clay concentration, OM, electrical conductivity (EC), and pH (physical parameters) and B and Cu (soil elements) are the main factors explaining the influence in the Trichoderma development. OM, EC, C:N ratio and Cu are the main soil characteristics that influence in T. velutinum T029 development and pH in the development of T. harzianum T059.

Fusarium genus is a wide host phytopathogen causing significant losses in multiple crops, including hops. There is limited information on the sustainable management of Fusarium spp. in hop fields. Trichoderma is an endophytic fungus used in agriculture as a biological control agent (BCA) and as a plant growth promoter. It has been used to antagonize Fusarium spp. in other crops. The objective of the current study was to identify indigenous hop field Trichoderma isolates with biocontrol and hop growth promotion capabilities. Three isolates of Fusarium and eleven autochthonous Trichoderma isolates collected from sustainable hop fields were evaluated in this work. Direct confrontation tests (the physical interaction between the pathogen and BCA and their competition for space and nutrient resources) and membrane tests (the capacity of the BCA to produce metabolites or enzymes through a cellophane film and inhibit the development of the pathogen) assessed the antagonism of these Trichoderma isolates against Fusarium culmorum, F. sambucinum, and F. oxysporum. A bioassay with hop plantlets inoculated with a spore suspension of Trichoderma was performed to assess its hop growth enhancement. T. hamatum (T311 and T324), T. virens T312, and T. gamsii T327 showed high growth inhibition of Fusarium spp. phytopathogens and high plant growth promotion. Native Trichoderma isolates from sustainable hop-producing soils have great potential as BCAs and hop growth promoters.

Pesticides of chemical synthesis have mainly been used to control pests, diseases and adventitious plants up until now. However, it has been shown that some pesticides can remain in the soil for long periods of time, thus affecting the development of organisms in the rhizosphere as well as human health, which are two of the most noteworthy side effects. The aim of this research was to analyze the compatibility of autochthonous Trichoderma strains with different synthetic fungicides, acaricides, insecticides (including an entomopathogenic fungus) and herbicides. Sulfur encouraged the growth of all autochthonous strains assayed, and the combination Trichoderma-B. bassiana did not disturb their growth. So, the combination of the autochthonous Trichoderma strains with these organic pesticides will be a positive strategy to apply in the field to control pests and some diseases. Conventional pesticides modified the development of all autochthonous Trichoderma strains, demonstrating that not only do they affect weeds, fungus or pests but also rhizosphere microorganisms. In conclusion, conventional pesticides indiscriminately used to control pests, diseases and weeds could reduce the development of autochthonous Trichoderma strains, especially fungicides and herbicides.

Humulus lupulus L. is a long-lived, perennial, herbaceous, and dioecious climbing plant. The foremost producers in the European Union are Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain. The Spanish cultivated area is concentrated in the province of León. Powdery mildew, caused by Podosphaera macularis, menaces hop production and quality in all hop growing regions located in the Northern hemisphere, colonizing leaves, petioles, inflorescences, and finally cones. In this work, powdery mildew control was monitored, comparing nine fungicide strategies: five organics, two integrated disease management (IDM)-based, with and without Nutragreen^® nanoscale carrier, and two conventional treatments (CON) with and without Nutragreen^® nanoscale carrier. The organic treatments were able to diminish P. macularis on leaves, but no effect was observed in cones. CON treatments reduced the infection on leaves and cones and increased the cone quantity and quality. Likewise, IDM-based treatments provided satisfactory results as they diminished powdery mildew on leaves and cones. Finally, dose reduction using a Nutragreen^® nanoscale carrier showed beneficial effects in the control of powdery mildew compared to the commercial dose. Hence, the use of nanoscale carries permits a 30% reduction in pesticide dose, which optimizes yield and hop quality, reduces risks linked to pesticides, and aids in compliance with public and international policy demands.

The effects of edible coatings on the quality of organic apple cv. ‘Golden delicious’ during storage were investigated. Following harvest, the fruits were treated by dipping in various coatings: Nutropit^® (14% CaO), Nutropit^®+Xedabio (soybean lecithin-based (E322), 0.8%), Bioxeda (an eugenol-based product containing clove oil, 0.8%), Nutropit^®+Bioxeda, and Semperfresh (SemperfreshTM, a sucrose-ester based coating, 1%). Organically grown apple cv. ‘Golden delicious’ treated with edible oil-based coatings Xedabio or Bioxeda, combined with Nutropit^®, improved postharvest longevity as they effectively delayed color changes in the fruit, and reduced weight loss, shriveling, superficial scald, and rot incidence. Additionally, the combined treatments minimized synthetic pesticide input in the apple agroecosystem, resulting in fruit with zero residues—a critical factor in organic apple production—while maintaining high consumer acceptance.