Compost Tea Outperforms Synthetic Fungicide

Using aerated compost tea in comparison with a chemical pesticide for controlling rose powdery mildew
Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection 2014
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The diligent scientists in Iran found that compost tea outperformed the synthetic pesticide Topaz (a triazole based fungicide) in trials on rose powdery mildew.  The experiment was very simple, aerated compost tea was foliar sprayed twice a week, and the synthetic pesticide was sprayed once a week (as per the manufacturers recommendations) on roses in a controlled greenhouse.  This was done over a 4 week period, at the end of which, the number of flowers infected with powdery mildew were counted and the numbers were run through statistical analysis.  The percentage of control, or how many flowers did not have PM, was calculated and shown to be about 25% higher in the compost tea treatment.   Studies like this are verifying that  compost tea is an environmentally friendly option when it comes to battling pest and disease. 

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