Effect of Trichoderma harzianum on maize rhizosphere microbiome and biocontrol of Fusarium Stalk rot

Abstract

Fusarium stalk rot (FSR) caused by Fusarium graminearum (FG) significantly affects the productivity of maize grain crops. Application of agrochemicals to control the disease is harmful to environment. In this regard, use of biocontrol agent (BCA) is an alternative to agrochemicals. Although Trichoderma species are known as BCA, the selection of host-pathogen specific Trichoderma is essential for the successful field application. Hence, we screened a total of 100 Trichoderma isolates against FG, selected Trichoderma harzianum (CCTCC-RW0024) for greenhouse experiments and studied its effect on changes of maize rhizosphere microbiome and biocontrol of FSR. The strain CCTCC-RW0024 displayed high antagonistic activity (96.30%), disease reduction (86.66%), biocontrol-related enzyme and gene expression. The root colonization of the strain was confirmed by eGFP tagging and qRT-PCR analysis. Pyrosequencing revealed that exogenous inoculation of the strain in maize rhizosphere increased the plant growth promoting acidobacteria (18.4%), decreased 66% of FG, and also increased the plant growth. In addition, metabolites of this strain could interact with pathogenicity related transcriptional cofactor FgSWi6, thereby contributing to its inhibition. It is concluded that T. harzianum strain CCTCC-RW0024 is a potential BCA against FSR.

Management of wilt disease of chickpea in vivo by silver nanoparticles biosynthesized by rhizospheric microflora of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

“…2.6 × 10 9 was observed for Ag4, i.e. AgNPs synthesized by Trichoderma sp., which have been used as a biocontrol for phytopathogens and have ultimate functions in promoting the plant beneficial microbial community . Similarly, rhizobial count, i.e.…”

Antifungal and plant growth promotion activity of volatile organic compounds produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

“…However, soil fumigation with chemicals is known to have broad biocidal activity, and detrimental effects were found not only on target pathogens but also on non‐target microorganisms and the fumigation chemicals themselves could be extremely dangerous to humans (Yan, Wang, & Li, ). The application of biological control agents (BCA) has been recognized as an environmentally friendly and sustainable method to reduce the effects of plant diseases (Raza, Wang, Wang, & Wu, ; Raza, Wei, Wei, & Ling, ; Saravanakumar, Li, & Yu, ).…”

Comparative study of impact of Azotobacter and Trichoderma with other fertilizers on maize growth

“…Several strains of Trichoderma have been used as biocontrol agent due to several mechanisms like antibiosis, parasitism, host-plant resistance and competition which has now been popular as biofertilizer and biopesticide together (Kaewchai et al, 2009). Trichoderma enriched biofertilizers are being used due to their recognized roles in growth, yield and nutritional quality of various crops including-maize, bean, cucumber, and tomato (Yedidia et al, 1999;Hoyos-Carvajal et al, 2009;Molla et al, 2012;Saravanakumar et al, 2017). Trichoderma, being a fungus, affects positively or negatively to higher plants.…”