In Vitro Antagonistic Activity of Trichoderma harzianum against Fusarium sudanense Causing Seedling Blight and Seed Rot on Wheat

Antagonistic properties against Fusarium sporotrichioides and glycosylation of HT-2 and T-2 toxins by selected Trichoderma strains

The present study assessed the ability of Trichoderma to combat F. sporotrichioides, focusing on their antagonistic properties. Tests showed that Trichoderma effectively inhibited F. sporotrichioides mycelial growth, particularly with T. atroviride strains. In co-cultures on rice grains, Trichoderma almost completely reduced the biosynthesis of T-2 and HT-2 toxins by Fusarium. T-2 toxin-α-glucoside (T-2-3α-G), HT-2 toxin-α-glucoside (HT-2-3α-G), and HT-2 toxin-β-glucoside (HT-2-3β-G) were observed in the common culture medium, while these substances were not present in the control medium. The study also revealed unique metabolites and varying metabolomic profiles in joint cultures of Trichoderma and Fusarium, suggesting complex interactions. This research offers insights into the processes of biocontrol by Trichoderma, highlighting its potential as a sustainable solution for managing cereal plant pathogens and ensuring food safety.

Biocontrol of Fusarium equiseti using chitosan nanoparticles combined with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Penicillium polonicum

A safe and ecofriendly biocontrol of pathogenic Fusarium equiseti was developed based on chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) combined with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Penicillium polonicum. Two strains of F. equiseti which were isolated from wilting tomato plant as well as three antagonistic fungi including Trichoderma longibrachiatum and two strains of Penicillium polonicum were isolated from the surrounding soil. All the isolated pathogenic and antagonistic fungi were identified using genomic DNA sequences. The antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi were studied against the two strains of F. equiseti. Also, CNPs which were prepared according to the ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate anions in acetic acid solution were used to enhance the antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi. The results exhibit that, combination of T. longibrachiatum with CNPs and P. polonicum with CNPs achieve high antifungal activity against F. equiseti by an inhibition rate equal to 71.05% and 66.7%, respectively.

Trichoderma Species: Our Best Fungal Allies in the Biocontrol of Plant Diseases-A Review

Biocontrol agents (BCA) have been an important tool in agriculture to prevent crop losses due to plant pathogens infections and to increase plant food production globally, diminishing the necessity for chemical pesticides and fertilizers and offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option. Fungi from the genus Trichoderma are among the most used and studied microorganisms as BCA due to the variety of biocontrol traits, such as parasitism, antibiosis, secondary metabolites (SM) production, and plant defense system induction. Several Trichoderma species are well-known mycoparasites. However, some of those species can antagonize other organisms such as nematodes and plant pests, making this fungus a very versatile BCA. Trichoderma has been used in agriculture as part of innovative bioformulations, either just Trichoderma species or in combination with other plant-beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Here, we review the most recent literature regarding the biocontrol studies about six of the most used Trichoderma species, T. atroviride, T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. virens, T. longibrachiatum, and T. viride, highlighting their biocontrol traits and the use of these fungal genera in Trichoderma-based formulations to control or prevent plant diseases, and their importance as a substitute for chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Trichoderma versus Fusarium-Inhibition of Pathogen Growth and Mycotoxin Biosynthesis

This study evaluated the ability of selected strains of Trichoderma viride, T. viridescens, and T. atroviride to inhibit mycelium growth and the biosynthesis of mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), zearalenone (ZEN), α-(α-ZOL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL) by selected strains of Fusarium culmorum and F. cerealis. For this purpose, an in vitro experiment was carried out on solid substrates (PDA and rice). After 5 days of co-culture, it was found that all Trichoderma strains used in the experiment significantly inhibited the growth of Fusarium mycelium. Qualitative assessment of pathogen-antagonist interactions showed that Trichoderma colonized 75% to 100% of the medium surface (depending on the species and strain of the antagonist and the pathogen) and was also able to grow over the mycelium of the pathogen and sporulate. The rate of inhibition of Fusarium mycelium growth by Trichoderma ranged from approximately 24% to 66%. When Fusarium and Trichoderma were co-cultured on rice, Trichoderma strains were found to inhibit DON biosynthesis by about 73% to 98%, NIV by about 87% to 100%, and ZEN by about 12% to 100%, depending on the pathogen and antagonist strain. A glycosylated form of DON was detected in the co-culture of F. culmorum and Trichoderma, whereas it was absent in cultures of the pathogen alone, thus suggesting that Trichoderma is able to glycosylate DON. The results also suggest that a strain of T. viride is able to convert ZEN into its hydroxylated derivative, β-ZOL.