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The simultaneous hyperexcitability of the neural network is the most well-known manifestation of epilepsy that causes recurrent seizures. The current study was aimed to examine any potential safety benefits of the culture filtrate of Trichoderma harzianum (ThCF) to ameliorate damaged histoarchitecture of the brain in epileptic rats by assessing seizure intensity scale and behavioral impairments and follow up the spontaneous motor seizures during status epilepticus phases in rats. Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups; control (C), epileptic (EP) valproic acid-treated epileptic (EP-VPA), and epileptic treated with T. harzianum cultured filtrate (ThCF). In addition to a seizure intensity score and behavioral tests, routine H&E and Golgi-Copsch histopathology, were used to examine the cell somas, dendrites, axons, and neural spines. ThCF treatment increased activity and recorded movements during grooming, rearing, and ambulation frequency. Brain tissues of epileptic rats exhibited detached meninges, hypercellularity, mild edema in the cortex and markedly degenerated neurons, degenerated glial cells, and microcyst formation in the hippocampus. Moreover, brains of EP-ThCF were noticed with average blood vessels, and increased dendritogenesis. The current data revealed some of negative effects of epileptogenesis brought on by seizure intensity score and retarded histopathological alterations in the hippocampus. Therefore, the study is forecasting to identify novel active components from the metabolites of T. harzianum with a crucial therapeutic role in various disorders., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Wheat powdery mildew (WPM) is one of the most devasting diseases that affects wheat yield worldwide. Few efforts have been made to control such a serious disease. An effective way to control WPM is urgently needed. Biological control is an effective way to control plant diseases worldwide. In this study, the efficiency of three different Trichoderma spp. in controlling WPM at the seedling growth stage was tested using 35 highly diverse wheat genotypes. Highly significant differences were found in WPM resistance among the four treatments, confirming the efficiency of Trichoderma in controlling WPM. Of the three species, T. asperellum T34 (T34) was the most effective species in controlling WPM, as it reduced the symptoms by 50.56%. A set of 196 wheat genotypes was used to identify the genetic control of the WPM resistance induced by T34. A total of 39, 27, and 18 gene models were identified to contain the significant markers under Pm, T34, and the improvement in powdery mildew resistance due to T34 (T34_improvement) conditions. Furthermore, no gene model was common between T34 and Pm, suggesting the presence of completely different genetic systems controlling the resistance under T34 and Pm. The functional annotation and biological process pathways of the detected gene models confirm their association with the normal and induced resistance. This study, for the first time, confirms the efficiency of T34 in controlling WPM and provides a deep understanding of the genetic control of induced and normal resistance to WPM., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma have received high consideration in agriculture due to their beneficial effects on crops from their plant promotion effects and protection from disease. A role of Trichoderma fungi in triggering plant defense mechanisms against insect pests, either directly or by natural enemy attraction, has been proposed, even if the results in different studies are controversial. In this present study, using zucchini plants as a model species, we investigated the effects of Trichoderma afroharzianum strain T22 plant inoculation on the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii and its endoparasitoid Aphidius colemani . Our results showed that the inoculation with T. afroharzianum T22 promotes A. gossypii population growth and makes zucchini more attractive to the aphid. The higher abundance of aphids on Trichoderma -inoculated zucchini was compensated for by a higher presence of the mummies of Aphidius colemani . In this present study, we recorded a higher zucchini biomass, thereby confirming that Trichoderma can act as a plant growth inducer.

Beneficial fungi of the genus Trichoderma are among the most widespread biocontrol agents that induce a plant's defense response against pathogens. Fusarium solani is one of the main pathogens that can negatively affect Astragalus mongholicus production and quality. To investigate the impact of Trichoderma harzianum on Astragalus mongholicus defense responses to Fusarium solani , A. mongholicus roots under T. harzianum + F. solani (T + F) treatment and F. solani (F) treatment were sampled and subjected to transcriptomic analysis. A differential expression analysis revealed that 6361 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responded to T. harzianum induction. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the 6361 DEGs revealed that the genes significantly clustered into resistance-related pathways, such as the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Pathway analysis revealed that the PR1 , formononetin biosynthesis, biochanin A biosynthesis, and CHIB , ROS production, and HSP90 may be upregulated by T. harzianum and play important roles in disease resistance. Our study further revealed that the H 2 O 2 content was significantly increased by T. harzianum induction. Formononetin and biochanin A had the potential to suppress F. solani . Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed one module, including 58 DEGs associated with T. harzianum induction. One core hub gene, RPS25 , was found to be upregulated by T. harzianum , SA (salicylic acid) and ETH (ethephon). Overall, our data indicate that T. harzianum can induce induced systemic resistance (ISR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in A. mongholicus . The results of this study lay a foundation for a further understanding of the molecular mechanism by which T. harzianum induces resistance in A. mongholicus .

In recent years, seed priming has gained interest, with researchers aiming to enhance seed germination and early growth, especially under abiotic stress conditions. In this study, seeds from two squash landraces ( Cucurbita maxima Duchesne; i.e., Galaoui large seeds (Galaoui hereafter) and Batati green (Batati hereafter)) were subjected to different priming methods ((a) 0.3% and 0.4% KNO 3 (halopriming); (b) 0.1% and 0.2% GA 3 (hormopriming); (c) inoculation with Trichoderma spp. ( T. harzianum , T. viride , and T. virens ), Bacillus subtilis , and Pseudomonas fluorescens (biopriming) in order to promote germination parameters and seedling growth under salinity stress (0, 100, and 200 mM of NaCl). Our findings indicate the better performance of primed seeds compared to the untreated ones in terms of germination and seedling growth traits, although a varied response depending on the priming method and the landrace was observed. The highest germination percentage (GP) and the lowest mean germination time (MGT) were observed in 0.4% KNO 3 -primed seeds. The positive effects of 0.4% KNO 3 were also depicted in all traits related to seedling growth and the seedling vigor index (SVI), indicating its effectiveness as a priming agent in squash seeds. Under salinity stress conditions, priming with 0.4% KNO 3 significantly improved the germination and seedling growth traits for both landraces, while the application of 0.2% GA 3 at high salinity significantly improved photosynthetic quantum yield (F v /F m ratio). Regarding the effects of biopriming in germination and seedling growth traits, our results indicate that T. harzianum and B. subtilis were the most effective bioagents in promoting germination and seedling growth in Galaoui and Batati seeds, respectively. In conclusion, our findings provide important information regarding the practice of using priming and biopriming agents to enhance the germination and seedling growth capacity of squash seeds, as well to mitigate the negative effects of salinity stress at the critical stages of germination and early growth.

This study innovatively employed solid-state fermentation (SSF) to evaluate chitinase induction in Trichoderma harzianum . Solid-state fermentation minimizes water usage, a crucial global resource, and was applied using shrimp waste chitin and a mixture of commercial chitin with wheat bran as substrates. Shrimp waste and wheat bran were pretreated and characterized for SSF, and the fungus's utilization of the substrates was assessed using spectrophotometric and microscopic methods. The resulting enzymes' ability to produce chitooligosaccharides (COS) mixtures was studied. Wheat bran/commercial chitin demonstrated superior performance, with a 1.8-fold increase in chitinase activity (76.3 U/mg protein) compared to shrimp waste chitin (41.8 U/mg protein). Additionally, the COS mixture obtained from wheat bran/commercial chitin showed a higher concentration of reducing sugars, reaching 87.85 mM, compared to shrimp waste chitin (14.87 mM). The COS profile from wheat bran/commercial chitin included monomers to heptamers, while the profile from shrimp waste chitin was predominantly composed of monomers. These results highlight the advantages of SSF for chitinase induction and COS production in T. harzianum , offering potential applications as dietary fiber, antioxidants, and antimicrobial agents. The findings contribute to by-product valorization, waste reduction, and the sustainable generation of valuable products through SSF-based enzyme production.

Background: Phytophthora capsici is a destructive oomycete pathogen, causing huge economic losses for agricultural production. The genus Trichoderma represents one of the most extensively researched categories of biocontrol agents, encompassing a diverse array of effective strains. The commercial biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22 exhibits pronounced biocontrol effects against many plant pathogens, but its activity against P. capsici is not known., Results: T. harzianum T-22 significantly inhibited the growth of P. capsici mycelia and the culture filtrate of T-22 induced lysis of P. capsici zoospores. Electron microscopic analyses indicated that T-22 significantly modulated the ultrastructural composition of P. capsici, with a severe impact on the cell wall integrity. Dual RNA sequencing revealed multiple biological processes involved in the inhibition during the interaction between these two microorganisms. In particular, a marked upregulation of genes was identified in T. harzianum that are implicated in cell wall degradation or disruption. Concurrently, the presence of T. harzianum appeared to potentiate the susceptibility of P. capsici to cell wall biosynthesis inhibitors such as mandipropamid and dimethomorph. Further investigations showed that mandipropamid and dimethomorph could strongly inhibit the growth and development of P. capsici but had no impact on T. harzianum even at high concentrations, demonstrating the feasibility of combining T. harzianum and these cell wall synthesis inhibitors to combat P. capsici., Conclusion: These findings provided enhanced insights into the biocontrol mechanisms against P. capsici with T. harzianum and evidenced compatibility between specific biological and chemical control strategies. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. is a widely used herb in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic polymorphisms in fenugreek plants following the treatment of fenugreek seeds with different combinations of biotic and abiotic agents using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR technique. We assessed the effects of two strains of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum (Th-1 and Th-2), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and Aloe vera gel (AVG) on growth parameters of fenugreek plants. Combinations of Th-1, MeJA, AVG significantly increased fenugreek root length, shoot length, shoot fresh weight, number of true leaves, and chlorophyll content. The Th-2 isolate, on the other hand, markedly slowed plant development (except for root length which was not affected significantly). In contrast, the combination with MeJA had no considerable effect on all growth measures, whereas the combination with VAG resulted in a substantial drop in shoot height and chlorophyll content when compared to other growth parameters that were unaffected. The present study has shown that the PCR amplification of DNA, using five primers for RAPD analysis, produced 62 DNA fragments that could be scored in all genotypes. The total number of polymorphic bands was 26, and the average percentage of polymorphism was 54.21%. The RAPD-PCR results showed that the treatment of fenugreek seeds with Th-1 alone or in combination with MeJA and AVG induced polymorphisms in fenugreek leaves.

Penyakit budok yang disebabkan oleh Synchytrium pogostemonis merupakan masalah utama pada budi daya nilam di Provinsi Aceh (Pogostemon cablin). Tujuan penelitian ini ialah untuk mendapatkan cara pengendalian S. pogostemonis dengan menggabungkan kompos limbah ampas nilam (LAN), mikrob antagonis, dan minyak atsiri sebagai anticendawan. Penelitian dibagi menjadi dua tahap. Tahap pertama ialah pengujian efek penambahan kompos LAN terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman nilam. Tiga spesies mikrob antagonis, yaitu Trichoderma harzianum (ThC6), T. asperellum (TaC1), dan Pseudomonas aureginosa (AJ14) diinokulasikan pada LAN sebagai biodekomposer sekaligus agens antagonis baik secara tunggal maupun kombinasi. Kompos LAN diaplikasikan pada medium tanam sebelum penanaman setek nilam dengan dua taraf rasio tanah dan kompos LAN (1:1 dan 1:2). Parameter yang diamati ialah pertumbuhan tanaman nilam meliputi tinggi tanaman dan jumlah daun. Pada tahap kedua diamati pengaruh kombinasi kompos LAN dan minyak atsiri terhadap keparahan penyakit budok. Minyak atsiri yang digunakan adalah minyak atsiri serai wangi dan nilam dengan konsentrasi 0.5% dan 1%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penambahan mikrob antagonis baik secara tunggal maupun kombinasi pada LAN dapat meningkatkan tinggi batang dan jumlah daun tanaman nilam masing-masing sebesar 22% dan 38%. Keparahan penyakit terendah ditunjukkan oleh perlakuan kombinasi kompos LAN dan 1% minyak atsiri serai wangi, yaitu sebesar 10%.

In this study the effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum based biopesticides on fruit collapse disease incidence and pineapple quality was investigated. The experiment was implemented in a split-plot design with two factors, one involving two inoculation methods (spray and inject), and a second factor involving four treatments, A (control: no biopesticides used), B (Bio P32 from 13 weeks before harvest), C (Bio T10 from 13 weeks before harvest) and D (Bio P32 + Bio T10 from 13 weeks before harvest). The inoculated pathogen was Dickeya zeae. The incidence of fruit collapse, total soluble solids, total acidity, sucrose, ascorbic acid, mineral content, and electrolyte leakage were determined. The inject method caused more fruit collapse incidence than the spray method. Treatments C and D provided the best results having a low incidence of fruit collapse (spray: 5 and 1.7 %, inject: 20 % in both cases), high antioxidant capacity (regarding ascorbic acid), high mineral nutrient content (in terms of Ca and Mg), and low electrolyte leakage content (< 70 % in average), with a healthier cell wall characteristic. Meanwhile, treatments A and B were less efficient in these aspects and promoted the incidence of fruit collapse, especially when the inject method was used, as this was more harmful regarding the fruit physiology. In conclusion, the biopesticides employed can reduce the incidence of fruit collapse and positively affect the fruit quality.

BackgroundCadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal. Its emission is suspected to be further increased due to the dramatic application of ash to agricultural soils and newly reclaimed ones. Thereby, Cd stress encountered by plants will exacerbate. Acute and chronic exposure to Cd can upset plant growth and development and ultimately causes plant death. Microorganisms as agriculturally important biofertilizers have constantly been arising as eco-friendly practices owing to their ability to built-in durability and adaptability mechanisms of plants. However, applying microbes as a biofertilizer agent necessitates the elucidation of the different mechanisms of microbe protection and stabilization of plants against toxic elements in the soil. A greenhouse experiment was performed using Trichoderma harzianum and plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum and Bacillus subtilis) individually and integrally to differentiate their potentiality in underpinning various resilience mechanisms versus various Cd levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg of soil). Microorganisms were analyzed for Cd tolerance and biosorption capacity, indoleacetic acid production, and phosphate and potassium solubilization in vitro. Plant growth parameters, water relations, physiological and biochemical analysis, stress markers and membrane damage traits, and nutritional composition were estimated.ResultsUnequivocal inversion from a state of downregulation to upregulation was distinct under microbial inoculations. Inoculating soil with T. harzianum and PGPB markedly enhanced the plant parameters under Cd stress (150 mg/kg) compared with control plants by 4.9% and 13.9%, 5.6% and 11.1%, 55.6% and 5.7%, and 9.1% and 4.6% for plant fresh weight, dry weight, net assimilation rate, and transpiration rate, respectively; by 2.3% and 34.9%, 26.3% and 69.0%, 26.3% and 232.4%, 135.3% and 446.2%, 500% and 95.6%, and 60% and 300% for some metabolites such as starch, amino acids, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanin, and proline, respectively; by 134.0% and 604.6% for antioxidants including reduced glutathione; and by 64.8% and 91.2%, 21.9% and 72.7%, and 76.7% and 166.7% for enzymes activity including ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, respectively. Whereas a hampering effect mediated by PGP bacterial inoculation was registered on levels of superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, electrolyte leakage, and polyphenol oxidase activity, with a decrease of 0.53%, 14.12%, 2.70%, and 5.70%, respectively, under a highest Cd level (150 mg/kg) compared with control plants. The available soil and plant Cd concentrations were decreased by 11.5% and 47.5%, and 3.8% and 45.0% with T. harzianum and PGP bacterial inoculation, respectively, compared with non-inoculated Cd-stressed plants. Whereas, non-significant alternation in antioxidant capacity of sunflower mediated by T. harzianum action even with elevated soil Cd concentrations indicates stable oxidative status. The uptake of nutrients, viz., K, Ca, Mg, Fe, nitrate, and phosphorus, was interestingly increased (34.0, 4.4, 3.3, 9.2, 30.0, and 1.0 mg/g dry weight, respectively) owing to the synergic inoculation in the presence of 150 mg of Cd/kg.ConclusionsHowever, strategies of microbe-induced resilience are largely exclusive and divergent. Biofertilizing potential of T. harzianum showed that, owing to its Cd biosorption capability, a resilience strategy was induced via reducing Cd bioavailability to be in the range that turned its effect from toxicity to essentiality posing well-known low-dose stimulation phenomena (hormetic effect), whereas using Azotobacter chroococcum and Bacillus subtilis, owing to their PGP traits, manifested a resilience strategy by neutralizing the potential side effects of Cd toxicity. The synergistic use of fungi and bacteria proved the highest efficiency in imparting sunflower adaptability under Cd stress.

Malnutrition is mainly caused by iron and zinc micronutrient deficiencies affecting about half of the world's population across the globe. Biofortification of staple crops is the right approach to overcome malnutrition and enhance nutrient contents in the daily food of humans. This study aimed to evaluate the role of foliar application of iron and zinc in Trichoderma harzianum treated soil on various growth characteristics, quality, and yield of wheat varieties. Plants were examined in the absence/presence of T. harzianum, and iron and zinc micronutrients in both optimal and high-stress conditions. Although the symbiotic association of T. harzianum and common wheat is utilized as an effective approach for wheat improvement because of the dynamic growth promoting the ability of the fungus, this association was found tremendously effective in the presence of foliar feeding of micronutrients for the enhancement of various growth parameters and quality of wheat. The utilization of this approach positively increased various growth parameters including spike length, grain mass, biomass, harvest index, and photosynthetic pigments. The beneficial role of T. harzianum in combination with zinc and iron in stimulating plant growth and its positive impact on the intensities of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) alleles make it an interesting approach for application in eco-friendly agricultural systems. Further, this study suggests a possible alternative way that does not merely enhances the wheat yield but also its quality through proper biofortification of iron and zinc to fulfill the daily needs of micronutrients in staple food.

Background: Epilepsy is a serious chronic neurological disorder, which is accompanied by recurrent seizures. Repeated seizures cause physical injuries and neuronal dysfunction and may be a risk of cancer and vascular diseases. However, many antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have side effects of mood alteration or neurocognitive function, a reduction in neuron excitation, and the inhibition of normal activity. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of secondary metabolites of Trichoderma harzianum cultural filtrate (ThCF) when adjusting different electrolytes and neurotransmitters in the hippocampus of epileptic rats. Methods: Cytotoxicity of ThCF against LS-174T cancer cells was assessed using a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Quantitative estimation for some neurotransmitters, electrolytes in sera or homogenate of hippocampi tissues, and mRNA gene expression for ion or voltage gates was assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Results: Treatment with ThCF reduces the proliferative percentage of LS-174T cells in a concentration-dependent manner. ThCF administration improves hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and hypocalcemia in the sera of the epilepticus model. ThCF rebalances the elevated levels of many neurotransmitters and reduces the release of GABA and acetylcholine-esterase. Also, treatments with ThCF ameliorate the downregulation of mRNA gene expression for some gate receptors in hippocampal homogenate tissues and recorded a highly significant elevation in the expression of SCN1A, CACNA1S, and NMDA. Conclusion: Secondary metabolites of Trichoderma (ThCF) have cytotoxic activity against LS-174T (colorectal cancer cell line) and anxiolytic-like activity through a GABAergic mechanism of action and an increase in GABA as inhibitory amino acid in the selected brain regions and reduced levels of NMDA and DOPA. The present data suggested that ThCF may inhibit intracellular calcium accumulation by triggering the NAADP-mediated Ca2+ signaling pathway. Therefore, the present results suggested further studies on the molecular pathway for each metabolite of ThCF, e.g., 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6-PP), harzianic acid (HA), and hydrophobin, as an alternative drug to mitigate the side effects of AEDs.

The strains Trichoderma harzianum TH07.1-NC (TH), Aphanocladium album MX95 (AA), Pleurotus eryngii AL142PE (PE) and Pleurotus ostreatus ALPO (PO) were tested as biological limiters against Fomitiporia mediterranea Fme22.12 (FM), Phaeoacremonium minimum Pm22.53 (PM) and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora Pc22.65 (PC). Pathogens were obtained from naturally Esca-affected ‘Nero di Troia’ vines cropped in Grumo Appula (Puglia region, Southern Italy). The antagonistic activity of each challenge organism was verified in a dual culture. TH and PO completely overgrew the three pathogens. Partial replacement characterized PE-FM, PE-PM, PE-PC and AA-PC interactions. Deadlock at mycelial contact was observed in AA-FM and AA-PM cultures. The calculated antagonism index (AI) indicated TH and PE as moderately active antagonists (10 < AI < 15), while AA and PO were weakly active (AI < 10). The maximum value of the re-isolation index (s) was associated with deadlock among AA-PM, AA-PC and PE-FM dual cultures. The tested biological limiters were always re-isolated when PO and TH completely replaced the three tested pathogens. TH and AA confirmed their efficiencies as biological limiters when inoculated on detached canes of ‘Nero di Troia’ in dual combination with FM, PC and PM. Nevertheless, additional experiments should be performed for a solid conclusion, along with validation experiments in the field.

Phytoremediation is an environment-friendly method for toxic elements remediation. The aim of this study was to improve the phytoremediation efficiency of Brassica juncea and the rhizosphere soil micro-ecology in cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) contaminated soil. A field experiment was conducted with six treatments, including a control treatment (CK), two treatments with two contents of Trichoderma harzianum (T1: 4.5 g m−2; T2: 9 g m−2), one biochar treatment (B: 750 g m−2), and two combined treatments of T1B and T2B. The results showed Trichoderma harzianum promoted the total chlorophyll and translocation factor of Brassica juncea, while biochar promoted plant biomass compared to CK. T2B treatment showed the best results, which significantly increased Cd accumulation by 187.49–308.92%, and As accumulation by 125.74–221.43%. As a result, the soil’s total Cd content was reduced by 19.04% to 49.64% and total As contents by 38.76% to 53.77%. The combined amendment increased the contents of soil available potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic matter. Meanwhile, both the activity of glutathione and peroxidase enzymes in plants, together with urease and sucrase enzymes in soil, were increased. Firmicutes (dominant bacterial phylum) and Ascomycota (dominant fungal phylum) showed positive and close correlation with soil nutrients and plant potentially toxic elements contents. This study demonstrated that phytoremediation assisted by biochar and Trichoderma harzianum is an effective method of soil remediation and provides a new strategy for enhancing plant remediation efficiency.

This research presents the increase of the Trichoderma harzianum production process in a biotechnology company. The NOBA (Near-Orthogonal Balanced arrays) method was used to fractionate a mixed-level factorial design to minimize costs and experimentation times. Our objective is to determine the significant factors to maximize the production process of this fungus. The proposed 213242 mixed-level design involved five factors, including aeration, humidity, temperature, potential hydrogen (pH), and substrate; the response variable was spore production. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the type of substrate, the air supply, and the interaction of these two factors were significant. The maximization of spore production was achieved by using the breadfruit seed substrate and aeration, while it was shown that variations in pH, humidity, and temperature have no significant impact on the production levels of the fungus.

In this study, the data of the antagonistic action of the enzyme L-lysine-α-oxidase in relation to clinical isolates of multiresistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients aged 2 to 17 years of various genders with an established diagnosis of infectious urethritis and/or cystitis are presented. According to the results obtained, the top priority drugs for the treatment of infectious urethritis and/or cystitis are FO (Fosfomycin, 200 µg/disc), IMP (Imipenem, 10 mg/disc), and CIP (Ciprofloxacin, 30 µg/disc). It was found that out of 70 clinical isolates, only 36 of them formed biofilms using the plate method, which is equal to 51.4% of the total number of isolates studied. Despite polyresistance, clinical isolates of E. coli have moderate sensitivity to both the homogeneous enzyme and the culture fluid of the producer. The introduction of an enzyme or culture liquid at an early stage of strain cultivation significantly inhibits the formation of biofilms (91–100%). When introduced at later stages of the experiment—24 h and 48 h—inhibition is less pronounced—20–36% and 5–22%, respectively.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum, Eisenia fetida and cow dung on the physicochemical quality of paddy straw composting which was carried out for 90 days. The different treatment groups were Paddy straw (T0), Paddy straw + Cow dung (T1), Paddy straw + Cow dung + Eisenia fetida (T2), Paddy straw + Cow dung + Trichoderma harzianum (T3), Paddy straw + Cow dung + Eisenia fetida + Trichoderma harzianum (T4). The ratio of cow dung and paddy straw was 2:1. Among all treatments, T4 was identified as the best treatment for decomposing the paddy straw as it recovered the nutrients within the recommended levels of a high-quality product. The consortium of Trichoderma harzianum, Eisenia fetida and cow dung lowered the total organic carbon (TOC) and C:N ratio by 28.8% and 33.1%, respectively, at pH 6.5. The increase in N (0.87%), P (0.47%), K (2.66%), Ca (0.033%), Mg (0.056%) and Na (0.42%) was significant in T4 treatment. The micronutrients, namely Cu (47.9 ppm), Fe (1128 ppm) and Zn (500 ppm), also showed a significant increase in this treatment, i.e., T4. Therefore, results suggested that combinatorial composting by Trichoderma harzianum, Eisenia fetida and cow dung is quite promising in the decomposition of paddy straw to obtain quality compost in a short time. Furthermore, this study will help in the sustainable management of paddy straw with concomitant reduction inenvironmental pollution caused by the open burning of paddy straw.

In this study, we investigated in vitro the potential of Trichoderma harzianum to produce bioactive secondary metabolites that can be used as alternatives to synthetic compounds. The study focused on analyzing two extracts of T. harzianum using ethyl acetate and n-butanol solvents with different polarities. The extracts were examined using phytochemical analysis to determine the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis were used to profile volatile organic metabolites (VOCs) present in the extracts. Furthermore, the extracts were tested for their antifungal ability using the poison food technique. For measuring antioxidant activity, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) test was used. Trichoderma harzianum was shown to have a significantly high content of tannins and alkaloids, with a noticeable difference between the two extracts. GC-MS analysis identified 33 potential compounds with numerous benefits that could be used in agriculture and the medicinal industry. Moreover, strong antifungal activity was identified against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by 94.44%, Alternaria sp. by 77.04%, and Fusarium solani by 51.48; similarly, the IC50 of antioxidant activity was estimated for ethyl acetate extract by 71.47% and n-butanol extract by 56.01%. This leads to the conclusion that Trichoderma harzianum VOCs play a significant role as an antifungal and antioxidant agent when taking into account the advantageous bioactive chemicals noted in the extracts. However, to our knowledge, this is the first study in Algeria presenting detailed phytochemical analysis and GC-MS profiling of Trichoderma harzianum for two extracts, ethyl acetate and n-butanol.

Lipases are enzymes that hydrolyze triglycerides to fatty acids and glycerol. A typical element in lipases is a conserved motif of five amino acids (the pentapeptide), most commonly G-X-S-X-G. Lipases with the pentapeptide A-X-S-X-G are present in species of Bacillus, Paucimonas lemoignei, and the yeast Trichosporon asahii; they are usually thermotolerant and solvent resistant. Recently, while searching for true lipases in the Trichoderma harzianum genome, one lipase containing the pentapeptide AHSMG was identified. In this study, we cloned from T. harzianum strain B13-1 the lipase ID135964, renamed here as ThaL, which is 97.65% identical with the reference. We found that ThaL is a lid-containing true lipase of cluster III that belongs to a large family comprising highly conserved proteins in filamentous fungi in the orders Hypocreales and Glomerellales, in which predominantly pathogenic fungi are found. ThaL was expressed in conidia, as well as in T. harzianum mycelium, where it was cultured in liquid minimal medium. These results—together with the amino acid composition, absence of a signal peptide, mitochondrial sorting prediction, disordered regions in the protein, and lineage-specific phylogenetic distribution of its homologs—suggest that ThaL is a non-canonical effector. In summary, AHSMG-lipase is a novel lipase family in filamentous fungi, and is probably involved in pathogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study has the objective to study antifungal effect of the antagonistic fungus of soil named Trichoderma harzianum on mycelial growth of twenty isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa), agent of the bayoud disease on the date palm, originated from south western region of Algeria. Methods: Twenty Foa isolates obtained from isolation of the spines carrying the typical symptoms of Bayoud disease were used. The strain of T. harzianum was isolated from rhizosphere soils of the date palm trees. The in vitro test affected by two tests of confrontation, direct which is dual confrontation and indirect confrontation by volatiles substances, on mycelial growth. Result: A statistical analysis showed a significant difference (P<0.05), of Foa isolates reaction against the antagonistic fungus T. harzianumin the test realized. The results of in vitro test showed a significant effect (P<0.05), on mycelial growth in both tests used. The inhibition rate (IR) of mycelial growth of Foa by T. harzianum varies between 28.42 and 59.12%, with 12 Foa isolates showed IR, more than 50% in the direct test and between 3.3 and 56% with just three (3) isolates have IR more than 50% in the indirect test by volatile substances. Based on these encorageous results, we can apply of this antagonistic fungus to protect our groves contaminated by Bayoud disease and also contain this susceptible commercial variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate the effects of In vitro biocontrol of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. against Fusarium oxysporum and its in vivo effect on Solanum lycopersicum plants. The antagonistic effect in vitro of microcapsules of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. against F. oxysporum, was evaluated by inhibition and antagonism classification, in the in vivo part growth variables in plant and fruit were measured. Trichoderma asperellum showed inhibition of 84.7% and class 1 and Bacillus spp., obtained an inhibition of 83.7% with a positive classification. The canonical correspondence analysis of the fruit, the T1 treatment indicates that the variables that highlight the effect of the treatment are the firmness of the fruit and the Brix. The canonical correspondence analysis of the plant, the height presents a significant difference (P < 0.05), highlighting B. subtilis, Bacillus liquefasciens, T. harzianum and T. asperellum + Bacillus amiloliquefasciens, with 1.05 and 1.1 m compared to the control of 74 cm, also highlighted the number of total fruits in the T. harzianum treatment with an average of 22.6 fruits and root weight in B. subtilis with 37.12 g. Strains of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp. successfully inhibited F. oxysporum also induced growth in the tomato plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DA-meter hand-held instrument, hot water treatment (HWT) and biocontrol agents (BCAs) represent an alternative solution to synthetic fungicides. In the present study, the three strategies were combined to reduce Neofabraea vagabunda virulence on apple fruit cv 'Cripps Pink'. In vitro assays were conducted by testing different heat treatment timing (10, 5, and 3 min at 45°C) influence on pathogen mycelial growth together with BCAs (Aureobasidium pullulans L1 and L8, and Trichoderma harzianum Th1). The combined activities of HWT 45°C × 5 min and both BCAs volatile and no-volatile compounds displayed the complete control of the pathogen. In vivo, DA-meter was used to measure the index of absorbance difference (IAD) of chlorophyll-α content on apple and to separate fruit into two different ripening classes, immediately wound inoculated with N. vagabunda conidial suspension, and treated with HW and BCAs. In vivo results showed how the combined action of HW and BCAs completely inhibited the pathogen. Also, the less ripe apple class showed a decrease of fungal incidence by 16.2% with respect to the riper class. At harvest and after four months of storage at 0°C, quality parameters of both apple classes heat treated and untreated, such as firmness (FF), soluble solid contents (SSC), and pH were measured without showing any substantial differences. Obtained results open new perspectives on organic apple productions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocontrol agents (BCAs) added in the soil or applied to the seeds face many abiotic and biotic stress challenges. Only those BCAs that survive under harsh conditions perform well. Improving the survival of BCAs along with inhibiting the biotic stresses imposed by bacterial, fungal, and viral infections has been a major challenge in agriculture, especially in hot-arid climates. The present study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of soil solarization and Brassica amendments on the survival of two biocontrol agents (BCAs), namely Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus versicolor, and on the reduction in a cumin wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini (Foc) in a field experiment conducted for two years under hot-arid climates. BCAs performed well in the solarized pots; it caused the maximum reduction in viable F. oxysporum propagules, significantly higher at 5 cm than at 15 cm of depth. Brassica amendment with BCAs caused a greater decrease in F. oxysporum propagules (95.7 to 96.7%) compared to a combination of BCAs and solarization (91.0 to 95.7%). Combining T. harzianum with A. versicolor increased the survival of T. harzianum, whereas integration with Brassica amendment could only improve the survival of T. harzianum at a depth of 5 cm and not at lower depths. The slightest decrease in A. versicolor population at high soil temperature was estimated when combined with T. harzianum. However, combining A. versicolor with Brassica amendment improved the survival of A. versicolor at high compared to low soil temperatures. Still, elevated soil temperature reduced the viable propagules. These studies demonstrate that both the native BCAs are compatible, and their integration with the Brassica amendment improves their survival and ability to reduce the population of cumin wilt pathogen. Thus, these BCAs with Brassica amendments can survive and perform well under hot-arid climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxigenic fungal species are a major cause of various infections in plants and posed serious threat to their consumers, including humans and animals. The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro efficacy of different concentrations of leaves methanolic extract of Amaranthus viridis L. against target pathogenic ochratoxin producing fungal species (Trichoderma viride Pers., Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. and Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresen.) G.A. de Vries). For this purpose, different concentrations viz. 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% of leaf methanolic extract was prepared and tested for their antifungal potential in a completely randomized design (CRD). Results revealed that a 10%concentration of A. viridis significantly suppressed the growth of all the tested fungi. The phytochemical analysis of A. viridis depicts the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and coumarins. Bioassay-guided fractionation was executed to check the antifungal activity of various fractions in vitro against the test ochratoxin producing fungi. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antifungal activity among all other fractions. GC-MS (Gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy) analysis of ethyl acetate fraction revealed the presence of twelve compounds viz. 1,2,3-propanetriol monoacetate; 푛-decanoic acid; 1-hexadecene; dodecanoic acid; 5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,4,7a-trimethyl-[R]; tetradecanoic acid, 2-pentadecanone; 6,10,14-trimethyl-; phenol,2-methyl-5-[1-methylethyl]-; 푛-hxadecanoic acid; 2[4H]-benzofuranone; phytol; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid and heptacosane. The presence of these compounds might be responsible for the antifungal potential of A. viridis and it can be concluded that the methanolic leaf extract of the tested plant proved to be beneficial for inhibiting the growth of test ochratoxigenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native isolate of Trichoderma harzianum T103 with proven plant growth promotion and biocontrol ability was examined further for its pesticide degradative potential. The study presents first evidence for an isolate's potential to degrade hazardous organophosphate pesticide while offering protection to the host (Sorghum bicolor). T103 demonstrated a broad range of tolerance towards very high dosage of monocrotophos (MCP), showing LD50 as high as 1950 ppm. Substrate exclusion studies confirmed the isolate's preference to MCP as the phosphorous source. A range of pesticide degradative enzymes, including phosphatase, esterase, and OP hydrolase were detected in extracellular soup. FTIR spectral analysis revealed the disappearance of the vinyl phosphate bond (2990 cm−1 and 2924 cm−1) and HPLC analysis confirmed the degradation. Pretreatment with T103 conferred 1.45 fold increments in germination percentage. Extended plant bioassay experiment found that bio priming with isolate reduced phytotoxicity symptoms by almost 50%, while root length, shoot length, and biomass increased by 34.48%, 35.77%, and 144%, respectively. Scanning electron micrographs of root interaction affirmed the applicability of the isolate for seed bio priming under pesticide stress. The study provides convincing evidence for the isolate's suitability to degrade residual pesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we aimed to isolate and identify native strains of Trichoderma spp. with potential activity against avocado pathogens (Neofusicoccum parvum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Diaporthe sp., and Phomopsis perseae). Strains of Trichoderma spp. were isolated from roots and soil obtained from avocado orchards from different regions of Mexico. Twenty-five Trichoderma spp. strains were isolated, of which six (TSMICH7, TSMICH8, TRMICH9, TSMICH10, TSMICH15, and TRJAL25) showed greater antagonistic capacity in vitro (>80%) against avocado pathogens. After 96 h, the antagonistic strain undergoes a thickening of hyphae, while the phytopathogen tends to thin, except for Diaporthe sp., which tends to thicken. The characterization of these strains was carried out through morphological observations and the amplification and sequencing of rDNA fragments (ITS regions), as well as the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (Tef 1-α), achieving the identification of Trichoderma harzianum. However, in the in vivo evaluation (applying directly to the avocado fruit), the TSMICH7 strain maintained considerably high effectiveness (>90%) against the four phytopathogens tested, mainly with P. perseae, N. parvum, and Diaporthe sp., increasing the activity of glucanases and chitinases. Therefore, T. harzianum could be used as a biological control agent to inhibit post-harvest pathogens in avocados, thus avoiding significant losses of this fruit of international importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meloidogyne incognita is a plant pathogen causing root-knot disease and loss of crop yield. The present study aimed to use Trichoderma harzianum as a biocontrol agent against plant-parasitic nematodes and used press mud, which is a solid waste by-product of sugarcane, as a biocontrol agent and biofertilizer. Therefore, the combined application of T. harzianum and press mud may enhance nematode control and plant growth. Elemental analysis of press mud using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) integrated with an Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyzer revealed the presence of different elements such as C, O, Mg, Si, P, K, Ca, Cu and Zn. In addition, a greenhouse study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of press mud and T. harzianum on M. incognita reproduction and growth and the biochemical features of Psoralea corylifolia. The results showed that plant length, dry biomass, leaf area, the number of seeds per plant, chlorophyll a, chl b, carotenoid content, nitrate reductase, carbonic anhydrase, and nitrogen content were significantly increased (P = 0.05) in the T2 plants (plants were treated with 100 g of press mud + 50 mL T. harzianum before one week of M. incognita inoculation), over inoculated plants (IC). Antioxidant enzyme activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the foliage of P. corylifolia was significantly increased when plants were treated with press mud + T. harzianum. A significant reduction in the number of egg masses, nematode population, and root-knot index (RKI) was found in plants with T2 plants. These results suggest that the combined application of T. harzianum and press mud has the potential to control the M. incognita infection and can be used as an environmentally safe alternative to chemical nematicides and also help in the removal of sugarcane waste that causes environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important environmental factors impacting crop plant productivity is soil salinity. Fungal endophytes have been characterised as biocontrol agents that help in plant productivity and induce resistance responses to several abiotic stresses, including salinity. In the salt-tolerant cereal crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), there is limited information about the metabolites and lipids that change in response to inoculation with fungal endophytes in saline conditions. In this study, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC--MS) and LC--electrospray ionisation (ESI)--quadrupole--quadrupole time of flight (QqTOF)-MS were used to determine the metabolite and lipid changes in two fungal inoculated barley genotypes with differing tolerance levels to saline conditions. The more salt-tolerant cultivar was Vlamingh and less salt tolerant was Gairdner. Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22 was used to treat these plants grown in soil under control and saline (200 mM NaCl) conditions. For both genotypes, fungus-colonised plants exposed to NaCl had greater root and shoot biomass, and better chlorophyll content than non-colonised plants, with colonised-Vlamingh performing better than uninoculated control plants. The metabolome dataset using GC--MS consisted of a total of 93 metabolites of which 74 were identified in roots of both barley genotypes as organic acids, sugars, sugar acids, sugar alcohols, amino acids, amines, and a small number of fatty acids. LC-QqTOF-MS analysis resulted in the detection of 186 lipid molecular species, classified into three major lipid classes--glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, and sphingolipids, from roots of both genotypes. In Cultivar Vlamingh both metabolites and lipids increased with fungus and salt treatment while in Gairdner they decreased. The results from this study suggest that the metabolic pathways by which the fungus imparts salt tolerance is different for the different genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: β-glucosidase is an important biomass-degrading enzyme and plays a vital role in generating renewable biofuels through enzymatic saccharification. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of Trichoderma harzianum HTASA derived from Hainan mangrove and identified a new gene encoding β-glucosidase Bgl3HB. And the biochemically characterization of β-glucosidase activity was performed. Results: Bgl3HB showed substantial catalytic activity in the pH range of 3.0–5.0 and at temperatures of 40 ℃-60 ℃. The enzyme was found quite stable at 50 ℃ with a loss of only 33.4% relative activity after 240 min of heat exposure. In addition, all tested metal ions were found to promote the enzyme activity. The β-glucosidase activity of Bgl3HB was enhanced by 2.12-fold of its original activity in the presence of 5 M NaCl. Surprisingly, Bgl3HB also showed a remarkable ability to hydrolyze laminarin compared to other measured substrates. Enzyme efficiency was examined in the sugarcane bagasse saccharification processes, in which Bgl3HB with 5 M NaCl worked better supplementing Celluclast 1.5L than the commercial Novozyme 188 ascertained it as an admirably suited biocatalyst for the utilization of agricultural waste. In this work, this is the first report of a halophilic β-glucosidase from Trichoderma harzianum, and represents the β-glucosidase with the highest known NaCl activation concentration. And adding 5 M NaCl could enhance saccharification performance even better than commercial cellulase. Conclusions: These results show that Bgl3HB has great promise as a highly stable and highly efficient cellulase with important future applications in the industrial production of biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma is environmentally vital due to their plant growth-promoting effects (such as enhancement of nutrients supply, suppression of plant pathogens, and promotion of plant defense). Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are diverse chemical substances emitted by Trichoderma spp. The potential role of VOCs in biological control and plant growth promotion has recently been recognized. Here, the Trichoderma-VOCs' performance for plant growth promotion and suppression of plant pathogens are evaluated. We further investigated VOC emission profiles of T. harzianum using GC-MS. The Trichoderma-VOCs exhibited significant (p < 0.05) antifungal properties against all tested pathogenic fungi. T. atroviride-VOCs showed a decisive inhibition of Alternaria panax, Botrytis cinerea, Cylindrocarpon destructans, and Sclerotinia nivalis. The germinating seeds demonstrated growth enhancement in the presence of Trichoderma-VOCs emitted by different strains. Low levels of cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl, cyclotetrasiloxane, and octamethyl were found in T. harzianum KNU1 strain whereas cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl, cyclotetrasiloxane, and octamethyl showed higher emission levels as Si-containing compounds. The results reveal the potentiality of VOCs as a biocontrol resource against deleterious rhizosphere microorganisms and underline the importance of Trichoderma-VOCs emissions in regulating plant growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plants, including anise, have tiny, non-uniform seeds with low and light nutrient reserves. The seeds also show a weak establishment, especially under stressful conditions where their accurate planting in the soil and optimal yield are tough. This study sought to improve anise seeds' physical and physiological characteristics under drought stress. To this end, two factorial experiments under laboratory and greenhouse conditions were performed in a completely randomized design with 4 and 3 replications, respectively. Five levels of seed inoculation (inoculation with T36 and T43 of Trichoderma harzianum, and CHA0 and B52 of Pseudomonas fluorescent, and noninoculation which means that control seeds were not treated with microbial inoculant), three levels of coating (K10P20, K10P10V5, and non-coating), and three levels of drought stress (0,-3, and -6 bars) were considered as the factorial experiment [vermiculite (V), kaolin (K), and perlite (P) numbers refer to the amount of material used in grams]. The laboratory experiment revealed that the combined treatments of bio-agents with coating increased the physical and germination characteristics of anise seeds compared to the control treatment. The greenhouse experiment showed that drought stress reduced the initial growth indices. Still, the combination treatments of biological agents and coating (fillers) could alleviate the destructive effects of drought stress to some extent and improve these indices. The best treatment was provided by T36 and K10P20 in both experiments, which significantly increased morphological indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, there are huge amounts of lignocellulosic materials left in agroforestry practice, which can be transformed into useful products. Biomass exploitation could be aiming not only at replacing conventional energy sources but also at preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Five micromycetes were studied with goal to determine their potential to produce active cellulases as well as the ability to decompose pretreated wheat straw and oak sawdust after seven days of solid-state fermentation. Wheat straw was better lignocellulosic substrate than oak sawdust for the production of cellulases in all five micromycetes. Thus, Penicillium solitum BEOFB 1190m has shown to be the best producer of highly active forms of xylanases (7532.36 ± 89.37 U/L). The most active endo- and exocellulases (2299.70 ± 72.17 U/L and 195.66 ± 4.64 U/L, respectively) were produced by Trichoderma harzianum BEOFB 1230m, while the maximal value of β-glucosidase activity (215.69 ± 3.13 U/L) was detected after Fusarium graminearum BEOFB 820m cultivation. T. harzianum also showed high efficiency in wheat straw cellulose and hemicellulose depolymerization (23.90% and 33.00%, respectively), which resulted in the highest dry matter loss (36.25%). The results of the study showed great potential of tested micromycetes to synthesize cellulolytic enzymes and consequently transform abundant, low-cost plant residues such as wheat straw into useful products including biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma harzianum is one of the most famous biocontrol agent in plant protection. Present study investigated the T. harzianum, either, to investigate there overall compatibility with commercial fungicide. The compatibility tests were conducted using the food poisoned technique adopted with dual culture methods. Among the seven commercial formulations of the fungicides T. harzianum strain was highly tolerable with the fungicide Thiovit Jet (Sulfur) with EC50 753.1 ppm followed by Ridomil Gold (Mancozeb 64, Metalex M 4 %) with EC50 469.1 ppm, Folio Gold (Metalexyl M 4%, Chlorothalonil 40%) @ EC50 227.8 ppm, it also tolerated to Kocide (Copper hydroxide) EC50 176.1 ppm, Tilt (Propiconazole) @ EC50 47.9 ppm, T. harzianum was highly susceptible to Score (Difenoconazole) @ EC50 13.2 ppm and highly Shincar (Carbendazim) @ EC50 2.5 ppm. Poisoned food media tests suggested that Kocide fungicide @ 50 ppm < EC10 synergized the antagonist potential of T. harzianum up to 03% against a pathogenic fungal isolate of F. oxysporum; Ridomil Gold and Folio Gold @ 150 and 70 ppm < EC10 synergized the biocontrol fungus against the pathogen in very slight values 1.0 to 0.5%, respectively; Thiovit jet showed negative effects on the biocontrol fungus; Shincar, Score and Tilt fungicides checked the T. harzianum growth. The in-vivo tritrophic tests are proposed to be examined using experimental designs for the combine utilizations of the treatments i.e. Soil + F. oxysporum + Kocide recommended doses + the strain of T. harzianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is one of the most important vegetables, used as condiments, salad and cooked with various recipes. It is a good source of vitamin C, A, calcium, iron etc. However, per acre yield in Pakistan is quite lower as compared to other countries of the world due to various factors, including diseases. Tomato crop suffers by approximately 200 diseases worldwide, among them, Fusarium wilt of tomato is highly destructive fungal disease and has caused losses up to 49.5% in Pakistan. Early strategies to manage this devastating disease include the use of cultural, physical, and chemical control are suggested, but none of these provided positive impact except cultural methods. Keeping in view the importance and losses caused by Fusarium wilt of tomato the studies on its management with fungal bioagents was conducted. For this. different bioagents were tested in lab and fields against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici. The highest inhibition 89.63% was noted by Trichoderma harzianum followed by Neurospora sp. 87.40% in the poisoned food method. In pot experiments, the T. harzianum was found as highly successful then Neurospora sp., Chaetomium subaffine and Arthrinium sp. providing minimum disease incidence and lowest mortality percent at higher and medium concentrations. The highest plant biomass and lowest root infection percent were noted in T. harzianum followed by Neurospora sp., C. subaffine and Arthrinium sp. at medium and lower doses. The lowest response was recorded by Nigrospora sphaerica and Dermateaceae sp. In in-vivo trials, the highest response was observed in the treatment of T. harzianum followed by Neurospora sp., Arthrinium sp., N. sphaerica, respectively. The highest fruit yield was recorded by T. harzianum 6.66 (kg) and Neurospora sp. 5.66 (kg). Interestingly, Neurospora sp., Arthrinium sp., N. sphaerica, and Dermateaceae sp. have been first time recognized in the current study as potential bioagents against fusarium wilt of tomato. Based on the findings, it is suggested that T. harzianum and Neurospora sp., may be used as potential bioagents for ecofriendly management of tomato wilt disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new partititvirus isolated from a Trichoderma harzianum strain (T673), collected in China, was characterized and annotated as Trichoderma harzianum partitivirus 2 (ThPV2). The genome of ThPV2 consists of a 1693 bp dsRNA1 encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and a 1458 bp dsRNA2 encoding a hypothetical protein. In comparative studies employing the ThPV2-infected strain (T673) and a strain cured by ribavirin treatment (virus-free strain T673-F), we investigated biological effects of ThPV2 infection. While the growth rate of the virus-infected fungus differed little from that of the cured variant, higher mycelial density, conidiospore, and chlamydospore production were observed in the virus-infected strain T673. Furthermore, both the ThPV2-infected and the cured strain showed growth- and development-promoting activities in cucumber plants. In vitro confrontation tests showed that strains T673 and T673-F inhibited several important fungal pathogens and an oomycete pathogen in a comparable manner. Interestingly, in experiments with cucumber seeds inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum, the ThPV2-infected strain T673 showed moderately but statistically significantly improved biocontrol activity when compared with strain T673-F. Our data broaden the spectrum of known mycoviruses and provide relevant information for the development of mycoviruses for agronomic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the main pulse crops of Pakistan. The yield of chickpea is affected by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors. Due to their environmentally friendly nature, different nanoparticles are being synthesized and applied to economically important crops. In the present study, Trichoderma harzianum has been used as a stabilizing and reducing agent for the mycosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Before their application to control Fusarium wilt of chickpea, synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the average size (13 nm) of ZnO NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated their spherical structure, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed the oxide formation of ZnO NPs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) described the size and shape of nanoparticles, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy displayed the presence of reducing and stabilizing chemical compounds (alcohol, carboxylic acid, amines, and alkyl halide). Successfully characterized ZnO NPs exhibited significant mycelial growth inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, in vitro. In a greenhouse pot experiment, the priming of chickpea seeds with ZnO NPs significantly increased the antioxidant activity of germinated plants and they displayed 90% less disease incidence than the control. Seed priming with ZnO NPs helped plants to accumulate higher quantities of sugars, phenol, total proteins, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) to create resistance against wilt pathogen. These nanofungicides were produced in powder form and they can easily be transferred and used in the field to control Fusarium wilt of chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible and medicinal mushrooms are extensively cultivated and commercially consumed around the world. However, green mold disease (causal agent, Trichoderma spp.) has resulted in severe crop losses on mushroom farms worldwide in recent years and has become an obstacle to the development of the Ganoderma industry in China. In this study, a new species and a new fungal pathogen on Ganoderma sichuanense fruitbodies were identified based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of two genes, the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) and the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) genes. The new species, Trichoderma ganodermatigerum sp. nov., belongs to the Harzianum clade, and the new fungal pathogen was identified as Trichoderma koningiopsis. Furthermore, in order to better understand the interaction between Trichoderma and mushrooms, as well as the potential biocontrol value of pathogenic Trichoderma, we summarized the Trichoderma species and their mushroom hosts as best as possible, and the phylogenetic relationships within mushroom pathogenic Trichoderma species were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent ecological perturbations are presumed to be minimized by the application of biofertilizers as a safe alternative to chemical fertilizers. The current study aims to use biofertilizers (Trichoderma harzianum) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbic acid) in combination with NaCl on growth and some metabolic activities as well as esterase enzyme in Phaseolus vulgaris cv Bronko. Results showed that NaCl inhibited both fresh and dry weights, shoot and root lengths. Treatment of plants with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma enhanced these parameters. All pigments (Chl.a, Chl.b, Chl.a+b and carotenoids) were enhanced at lower and higher salinity levels. Plants treated with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma promoted carotenoids at moderate and higher levels of salinity. Soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and amino acids were increased in shoots and decreased in roots with increasing salinity, treatment of plants with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma reduced these components in shoots. Treatment of plants with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma decreased MDA and significantly increased proline in both shoots and roots. Salinity increased the DPPH% activity in both shoots and roots, and treatment with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma significantly enhanced the scavenging activity of DPPH in both organs. Plants treated with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma exhibited a reduction in phenols and increment in flavonoids, especially with Trichoderma. The assessment of esterase isozyme profiles on 7.5% polyacrylamide gel revealed the presence of 6 isoforms in response to water presoaking and treatments with either ascorbic acid or Trichoderma under different concentrations of NaCl with different density bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Montes de María subregion is one of the largest avocado producers in the Caribbean region. In recent years, avocado crops in the subregion have shown a decrease due to the disease called avocado sadness caused by the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi, which can be controlled through the main use of chemical agents, however, they cause environmental problems. For this reason, species of the genus Trichoderma have become an alternative to replace the application of chemicals in crops due to their multiple mechanisms of action such as antibiosis, mycoparasitism, competition for space and nutrients. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the inhibitory activity of native strains of Trichoderma spp. against P. cinnamomi and to molecularly identify the strains of Trichoderma spp. Trichoderma spp. was caught in avocado crops present in the municipalities of Chalan and Ovejas by means of precooked rice trap crops. Once the isolates were purified in the laboratory, the in vitro antagonism test was performed in dual culture medium PDA-V8 against P. cinnamomi. The isolates that presented inhibition against the pathogen were DNA extracted using the DNeasy Plant Mini kit® in order to amplify the tef1 gene by PCR. A total of 30 strains of Trichoderma spp. were isolated, of which 9 were inhibited by mycoparasitism. These were molecularly identified as Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride. Both species present a broad spectrum for the control of pathogens, which have been used for the management of diseases in crops of economic interest and show preliminary results of inhibitory activity against P. cinnamomi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main obstacles to feeding the world is the fungal leaf spot disease, which has a negative impact on plants' photosynthetic areas and significantly lowers crop quality and output. To manage fungi that pose a serious hazard to both humans and the environment, various chemical fungicides are utilized. The goal of the current study was to determine whether local isolates of three Trichoderma spp. (Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma harzianum, and Trichoderma asperellum) had any antagonistic effects in vitro against the pathogenic fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus sydowii, and Alternaria sp. Trichoderma viride showed the greatest growth inhibition against all of the tested pathogenic fungi, followed by Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma asperellum. It was shown that all three Trichoderma species strongly inhibited the mycelial growth of fungal pathogens. Compared to other isolated fungi, Trichoderma species inhibited Alternaria alternata mycelial growth more, whereas in Fusarium oxysporum least amount of mycelial growth inhibition was observed. These findings imply that Trichoderma species can function as an effective biocontrol agent against the fungi responsible for tomato leaf spot disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anbar Journal of Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi is one of the main problems associated with the roots of asparagus plants and inflicting serious losses worldwide. A novel and eco-friendly strategy to reduce pathogen resistance and management of the Fusarium crown and root rot is using chitosan and Trichoderma harzianum as a sustainable treatment approach to improve both disease resistance and yields, while also effectively managing the asparagus product. In this study, the effect of chitosan and Trichoderma harzianum on growth promotion and control of Fusarium crown and root rot in asparagus plants was investigated. diseased plants from the main production areas of Iran were surveyed. The in vitro antifungal properties of chitosan solutions (concentrations of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/mL) and T. harzianum strain were evaluated by the dual culture method. T. harzianum and chitosan solution (20 mg/mL) gave the largest inhibition zone against F. oxysporum and were selected for further studies in the greenhouse. Chitosan (20 mg/mL) and T. harzianum were applied as seed treatments and they significantly reduced disease incidence by 92% and 73% respectively, compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Fitopatologi Indonesia is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)