Wood-based biochars produced at low pyrolysis temperatures are good carriers for a Trichoderma-based biopesticide.

The goal was to investigate biochars' potential as carrier for commercial Trichoderma-based biopesticides, facilitating their application in soil or growing media. Thirty-five biochars produced from various feedstocks and pyrolysis temperatures were chemically characterized. Incubation and cold storage tests using a commercial Trichoderma-based biopesticide were done. Properties leading to good Trichoderma carrier capacity (TCC) are wood-based feedstocks and low pyrolysis temperatures (p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression showed that TCC = exp (23.0 (± 2.21)–1.03 (± 0.25) *pH-H2O–0.94 (± 0.32) *inorganic carbon–0.10 (± 0.02) *total phosphorus + 0.0005 (± 0.0002) *water-soluble carbon). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]