1. Trial Context and Objective
Botrytis cinerea is one of the most impactful and limiting diseases in strawberry cultivation, especially under high humidity and mild temperatures — conditions common during winter and spring in southern Spain. The 2026 season experienced particularly intense rainfall.
Beyond direct production losses, Botrytis significantly increases labor costs for harvesting and sorting damaged fruit.
Objective:
To evaluate the preventive efficacy and persistence of Botrybel SC® as a biocontrol tool against Botrytis, both in the field and postharvest, under real cultivation and challenging climatic conditions.
2. Trial Location and Conditions
- Crop: Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), variety Calinda
- Disease: Botrytis cinerea
- Location: Moguer, Huelva, Spain
- Period: January – April 2024
- Cultivation: Greenhouse
- Irrigation: Drip
- Soil type: Sandy
Climatic conditions during the trial:
- Average temperature: 14°C
- Average relative humidity: 75%
- Accumulated rainfall: 226 mm
These conditions were highly favorable for Botrytis development, providing an ideal scenario to test product efficacy. The trial was conducted and monitored by a certified EOR company.
3. Trial Design and Application Strategy
Treatments evaluated:
- Untreated control
- Botrybel SC® – reference dose: 7 L/ha
- Botrybel SC® – key dose: 9 L/ha
Application strategy (key dose):
- Dose per application: 9 L/ha
- Number of applications: 4
- Spray volume: 800 L/ha
- Interval: Every 6–7 days
- Method: Foliar spraying
- Total applied: 36 L/ha
Applications were preventive, following the crop’s reproductive stages (BBCH 81–87).
4. Product Description
Botrybel SC® is a preventive biocontrol product formulated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AH2, a beneficial microorganism that works through:
- Preventive colonization of plant surfaces
- Competition for space and nutrients
- Production of immediate antifungal metabolites against Botrytis
- Boosting overall plant health by enhancing crop defenses
A sustainable, effective solution aligned with current demands for residue reduction and integrated crop management strategies.
5. Field Results
Efficacy against Botrytis:
- Maximum recorded efficacy: 85.45% vs. control
- Evaluation criterion: Incidence (%) in fruit
- Number of evaluations: 13
At 9 L/ha, Botrybel SC® showed both preventive and curative effects, achieving outstanding efficacy for a biocontrol product, keeping Botrytis incidence very low even under high disease pressure.
Persistence of control:
Control remained stable over time, demonstrating excellent consistency throughout the cycle despite unfavorable climatic conditions.
6. Postharvest Results – A Key Differentiator
One of the highlights of the trial was the evaluation of strawberry preservation after harvest:
- Postharvest efficacy: 71%
- Last Botrybel application: 10 days before harvest
- Evaluation period: Up to 9 days after harvest
- Storage conditions: Ambient temperature
Botrytis control extends beyond the field, reducing losses, rejects, and commercial waste — providing added value for producers and distributors, especially in demanding markets.
7. Economic and Operational Impact
Reducing Botrytis damage in strawberries delivers direct, measurable benefits:
- More healthy, marketable fruit
- Fewer labor hours spent removing affected fruit
- Reduced losses and waste
- Better preservation of harvested fruit postharvest
- Increased profitability per hectare
Botrybel SC® helps maximize crop efficiency, combining plant health, productivity, and sustainability.
8. Conclusions
- Preventive application of 9 L/ha Botrybel SC® provides high efficacy (85.45%) against Botrytis cinerea in strawberries.
- Superior persistence ensures control even under conditions favorable to the pathogen.
- Postharvest protection (71% after 9 days at room temperature) demonstrates that Botrytis control extends beyond the field, adding real value to production.
- Botrybel SC® is a key tool for improving profitability, reducing operational costs, and advancing sustainable agriculture.
