Advent of Trichoderma as a bio-control agent- A review

Abstract

Trichoderma spp are free living filamentous fungi. They are cosmopolitan and versatile in nature. They have the potential to produce several enzymes that can degrade the cell wall materials. Also, they release a number of fungi toxic substances that can inhibit the growth of the fungal pathogens. Many mechanisms have been described on how Trichoderma exert beneficial effects on plants as a bio-control agent. But due to its versatile nature, its potential cannot be explored to its full extent. And it is a developing science in the field of bio-control with its new discoveries adding to the usefulness of the fungi as a bio-control agent. Its development as a bio-control agent passes through many phases and each phase adding novel ideas that will help in the development of an efficient bio-agent which in turn will help in the crop improvement and disease management. The studies on their various aspects responsible for bio-control will open a flood gate to the development of Trichoderma as an efficient and reliable bio-agent and provide a better scope for implementation in crop and disease management. The in vitro antagonistic activity of Trichoderma viride against phytopathogens (Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium oxysporum f.s.p. ciceri, Fusarium oxysporum f.s.p. udum) was studied and it was found to be potentially effective against F. oxysporum f.s.p. ciceri followed by F. oxysporum f.s.p. udum and Sclerotium rolfsii.

Acremonium variecolor strain 130360 VS Trichoderma harzianum STRAIN MGQ2 IN BIOCONTROL: AN OVERVIEW OF FUNGAL ANTAGONIST APPLIED AGAINST FUNGAL PATHOGEN Fusarium oxysporum, A CAUSE OF MOLER’S DISEASE IN SHALLOT

“…The mechanism of attack of Fusarium oxysporum is to penetrate, colonize, and multiply in the root area, then parasitize and inhibit the process of carrying water to all parts of the plant, this is confirmed by [4], that the mechanism of inhibition carried out by Trichoderma harzianum against Fusarium oxysporum is a mechanism of parasitism.…”

“…Trichoderma harzianum is a fungus that can inhibit the growth of other fungal pathogens by releasing a number of toxic fungal substances and producing several enzymes that can degrade cell walls [4]. Tricoderma harzianum has been widely used as a biocontrol agent to suppress soil-borne pathogens, according to [5], the Trichoderma harzianum F116 strain has the most effective antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum and has the potential for biological control.…”

Evaluation of a Newly Identified Endophytic Fungus, Trichoderma phayaoense for Plant Growth Promotion and Biological Control of Gummy Stem Blight and Wilt of Muskmelon

“…Similarly, previous studies have determined that Trichoderma species (e.g., T. akoningii , T. asperlloides , T. atroviride , T. harzianum, T. lentiforme, T . longibrachiatum , and T. virens ) successfully controlled various fungal plant pathogens including the fungal genera Alternaria , Cladosporium , Fusarium , Phytophthora , and Stagonosporopsis ( Puyam, 2016 ; Ghazanfar et al, 2018 ; Sood et al, 2020 ; Thapa et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, Utkhede and Koch (2004) and Patel et al (2017) found that T. harzanum could significantly reduce the effects of gummy stem blight disease caused by S. cucurbitacearum in cucurbit plants under both greenhouse and field conditions.…”

Evaluation of Biofungicide Formulation of Trichoderma longibrachiatum in Controlling of Tomato Seedling Damping-off Caused by Rhizoctonia solani

“…The efficacy of Trichoderma spp. in inhibition of plant pathogenic could be attributed to different mechanisms such as mycoparasitism and competition with the pathogens for space and nutrients as well as due to the production of antibiotics such as Gliotoxin and Viriden and lysis enzymes such as B-1,3-gluconase, Chitinase and Protease (Harman et al, 2004;Gajera et al, 2012;Vinale et al, 2012;Puyam, 2016). Activity of some Trichoderma spp.…”