Harnessing Trichoderma Mycoparasitism as a Tool in the Management of Soil Dwelling Plant Pathogens

Abstract

Maintaining and enhancing agricultural productivity for food security while preserving the ecology and environment from the harmful effects of toxicants is the main challenge in modern monoculture farming systems. Microbial biological agents can be a promising substitute for traditional synthetic pesticides to manage plant diseases. Trichoderma spp. are soil-dwelling ascomycete fungi and are common biocontrol agents against diverse phytopathogens. Trichoderma-based biocontrol techniques can regulate and control soil-borne plant diseases through mechanisms such as mycoparasitism, the production of antibiotics and hydrolytic enzymes, rhizo-sphere competence, the effective competition for available resources, induction of plant resistance and facilitation of plant growth. Numerous secondary metabolites produced by Trichoderma spp. are reported to prevent the development of soil-borne plant disease. Thus, Trichoderma spp. may have direct and indirect biological impacts on the targeted plant pathogens. Furthermore, this review discusses the convenient implications and challenges of applying Trichoderma-based strategies in agricultural settings. Overall, the assessment underscores the potential of Trichoderma as a sustainable and effective tool for mitigating soil-borne pathogens, highlighting avenues for future research and applications.