EPA Accepting Comments on Expanded Uses of Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 and B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838

For Release: September 9, 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting public comments on proposals to expand the uses of two microbial active ingredients: Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain PTA-4838 (B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838).

Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 is currently approved as an end-use fungicide product on ornamental plants in greenhouses. Under the proposed use expansion, the end-use product could be used as a fungicide and bactericide to increase plant defenses against soil-borne fungi and bacteria. Proposed applications include food and non-food crops in agricultural, commercial and residential settings.

EPA is also proposing to expand the use of B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838. Currently, products containing B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838 are registered for seed treatment and in-furrow applications to protect against plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne pathogens and/or to act as a plant regulator in agricultural and commercial settings. Proposed new uses will allow foliar application as well as applications made in residential settings to suppress fungi and promote plant growth.

When used in agricultural settings, the proposed end-use product can be applied via several methods, such as drip irrigation and spray application, to a wide variety of plants, including food crops, trees and shrubs. For application in residential settings, the proposed end-use product can be applied via hose-end sprayer, a pressure sprayer or watering can to plants such as flowers, herbs, vegetables, turf and ornamentals.

The proposed expanded uses of end-use products containing Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 and B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838 will not result in unreasonable adverse effects to humans or the environment, including honeybees.

The expanded uses for both microbial active ingredients will have a 15-day public comment period, starting Sept. 8, 2020.

For the proposal to expand uses of Trichoderma asperellum strain T34, comments are accepted in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0247 at www.regulations.gov.

For the proposal to expand uses of B. amyloliquefaciens PTA-4838, comments are accepted in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0670 at www.regulations.gov.