Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

["eddington AT lvcm.com" <eddington AT lvcm.com>]

Hi again,

To answer some questions a few entries back.

Are any inhibition assays being done?  Yes BBC labs have done the 
following tests on our teas, results listed below.  But these are only lab 
tests, which indicates we might have a chance in the field, but no field 
trials have been completed on these.
Microdochium nivale, strong inhibition 100%
Pythium ultimum, partial inhibition 100%
Rhizoctonia solani, partial inhibition 100%
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, strong inhibition 100%
Armillaria mellea, strong inhibition 67%, partial inhibition 33%
Botrytis cinerea, strong inhibition 50%, partial inhibition 50%
Fusarium oxysporum, partial inhibitioon 100%
Phytophthora cinnamomi, partial inhibition 92%, no inhibition 8%

Was black spot and rust identified?  We did not have a lab identify the 
pathogen.  This was simply from observation by the nursery owner.  We 
also checked with Elaine before applying tea, in regards to black spot 
she said in every case the tea has worked, in some extremely hard 
cases they had to apply it several times a week.  She never specifically 
mentioned the rust.

What was the disease load?  I am not too sure what this means - 
percentage of disease present in all the plants or on each plant?  I will 
ask the owner.  This was not a scientific experiment with controls and 
exact measurements.  The owner  sprayed or poured tea around his 
plants.  I went back to him yesterday.  Plants were doing great for two 
months when he had applied tea about 6 times over two months since 
February, then after Mothers Day about 1/3 now are showing signs of  
disease again (he may have used the tea once on that area of the 
nursery since Mothers Day).  He has not fed them or done anything 
else.  So he may try to replant the weak ones in new mix and drench 
the soil with tea.

Were any actual comparisons made between plants treated with 
fungicide and the tea?  No.  There were no fungicide treatments this 
year.  The owner just  estimated from his last year usage.

What was the tea made from?  vermicompost, compost, sugars, humic 
acid, kelp, several variations and minor changes since we are always 
trying to tweak our teas.

Carole Eddington

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