Trichoderma

Trichoderma fungi is found in almost all soils and other diverse habitats. In soil, they are often the most prevalent culturable fungi.

What's Trichoderma

In addition to colonizing roots, Trichoderma attacks, parasitizes, and derives nutrients from other fungi. It grows and reproduces best when there is an abundance of healthy roots, and they have evolved many mechanisms to attack other fungi and enhance plant and root growth. Several new generic methods for biological control and for causing enhanced plant growth have recently been demonstrated, and it is now clear that these processes must involve hundreds of independent genes and gene products. A list of recent mechanisms is provided below.

• Mycoplasma

• Antimicrobials

• Competition for nutrition or space

• Withstand stress by enhancing root and plant development

• Solubilization and Chelation of Inorganic Nutrients

Species

The Trichoderma fungi has five species; Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma koningii, and Trichoderma viride.

Trichoderma harzianum

Trichoderma harzianum: It's a fungus that is also used as a fungicide. It is used in foliar applications, seed treatments, and soil treatments to suppress various diseases that cause fungal pathogens. Commercial biotechnology products have been used to treat Staphylococcus, Fusarium, and Penicillium.

Trichoderma harzianum T-22 strain is a hybrid strain designed to enhance certain characteristics of its parent strain. These enhancements in disease resistance, environmental tolerance, and crop compatibility make Trichoderma harzianum one of the first biofungicides on the market. It has been shown to control soil-borne diseases common to a variety of crops such as corn, soybeans, potatoes, tomatoes, and cotton.

Trichoderma harzianum T-22 is one of the most effective strains of this fungus and is capable of colonizing the roots of most plant species in a variety of soil types. This fungus is used as a biocontrol agent in crop production and to improve the rooting and acclimation stages in plant nurseries.

Work Mechanisms

1. Space competition

Trichoderma harzianum grows faster in the roots than other soil-borne fungi. Other fungi do not have a chance to get a foothold in the root.

2. Competition for nutrients

Trichoderma harzianum robs pathogens of the nutrients on which they depend for survival. As a result, they have no chance to develop.

3. Parasitism of the pathogens

Trichoderma harzianum grows around the mycelium of the pathogen. The cell wall ruptures and the pathogen dies.

4. plant fortification

Trichoderma harzianum improves the root system by forming more root hairs, which allow for better absorption of water and nutrients. This results in a stronger, more uniform crop, which improves yields. The difference is especially noticeable when plants are stressed and/or grown under less than optimal growing conditions.

5. Induced Resistance

It also enhances the defense mechanisms of above-ground plant parts, the so-called induced systemic resistance (ISR).

6. Promotes uptake of fixed and non-fixed nutrients

Nutrients (e.g., certain trace elements and phosphates) are sometimes fixed in the soil and therefore cannot be absorbed by plants. This occurs especially in soils with high acidity (i.e., low pH). Phosphates usually form compounds with calcium, iron or other trace elements, so they are no longer soluble.

Trichoderma koningii

Trichoderma koningii is a very widespread soil rot fungus with a worldwide distribution. It has been widely used in agriculture as an effective biopesticide and is often cited as an alternative biological control agent in the regulation of fungal-induced plant diseases. They are symbiotic symbionts associated with plant root tissues that exhibit fungal parasitism and promote plant growth due to their ability to produce different secondary metabolites.

Trichoderma koningii is able to adapt to different ecological niches and can colonize their habitats effectively, making them powerful antagonists and biological control agents. Typical trichoderma species have a fast growth rate and produce green or clear spores on a branched conidial structure.

Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Trichoderma longibrachiatum is a soil fungus found throughout the world, but mainly in warm climates. They are used in a wide variety of industries for their ability to secrete large amounts of proteins and metabolites.

Trichoderma koningii

Trichoderma koningii is a very widespread soil rot fungus that is distributed worldwide. It has been widely used in agriculture as an effective biopesticide and is often used as an alternative biological control agent in the regulation of fungal-induced plant diseases. They are symbiotic symbionts associated with plant root tissues that exhibit fungal parasitism and promote plant growth due to their ability to produce different secondary metabolites.

The ability of fungi of Trichoderma koningii to adapt to different ecological environments and to multiply rapidly makes them powerful antagonists and biocontrol agents. Species of wood mold have a high growth rate and produce green or clear spores on a branched conidial structure.

Trichoderma viride

Trichoderma viride is a mold which produces spores asexually, by mitosis. It is the anamorph of Hypocrea rufa, its teleomorph, which is the sexual reproductive stage of the fungus and produces a typical fungal fruiting body. The mycelium of T. viride can produce a variety of enzymes, including cellulases and chitinases which can degrade cellulose and chitin respectively. The mould can grow directly on wood, which is mostly composed of cellulose, and on fungi, the cell walls of which are mainly composed of chitin. It parasitizes the mycelia and fruiting bodies of other fungi, including cultivated mushrooms, and it has been called the "green mould disease of mushrooms". The affected mushrooms are distorted and unattractive in appearance and the crop is reduced.

Mechanism

1. It secrete cell wall-degrading enzymes of pathogenic bacteria to prevent the formation of pathogenic bacterial cell walls.

2. It produces secondary metabolites that prevent pathogenic bacteria from growing and growing, increases permeability, dries fungal spores, destroys cell membranes, and destroys the growth of spore germination tubes.

3, In competition, Hartzwood mold captures or blocks nutrients required by pathogens, thereby inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

4, Heavy parasitic effects, wherein K. haatziki tends to grow pathogenic bacteria, comes into contact with the pathogenic bacteria, produces attachment-like structures, invades the pathogenic bacterial cells, and then breaks down and utilizes the pathogenic bacterial cell material, thereby killing the pathogenic bacteria.