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This study represents a primary investigation centered on screening six marine fungi, Emericellopsis maritima, Engyodontium album, Hypomontagnella monticulosa, Hortaea werneckii, Trichoderma harzianum, and Aspergillus sp.7, associated with the red algae Pterocladiella capillacea, which was collected from Chao-Jin Park in Keelung, Taiwan, as potential immunostimulants for shrimp aquaculture. Recognizing the imperative for novel strategies to combat pathogen resistance arising from the use of antibiotics and vaccines in aquaculture, this study aimed to evaluate the metabolomic profile, antioxidant capabilities, and antibacterial properties of marine fungi. The antibacterial activity of the fungal extract was evaluated against five major aquaculture pathogens: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aeruginosa, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The viability and cytotoxicity of marine fungal extracts were preliminarily evaluated using brine shrimps before assessing cytotoxicity, growth performance, immune efficacy, and disease resistance in white shrimp. The present study demonstrated that total phytochemical analysis correlated with antioxidant activity. Emericellopsis maritima and Trichoderma harzianum exhibited the strongest DPPH antioxidant scavenging activities of half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 16.5 ± 1.2 and 12.2 ± 2.6, which are comparable to ascorbic acid. LC-HDMSE analysis of the marine fungal extracts identified more than 8000 metabolites mainly classified under the superclass level of organic oxygen compounds, Organoheterocyclic compounds, Phenylpropanoids and polyketides, alkaloid and derivatives, benzenoids, lignans and neolignans, lipid and lipid-like molecules, nucleotides and nucleosides, organic nitrogen compounds, and organic acids and derivatives. Overall, our study significantly contributes to the advancement of sustainable practices by exploring alternative antimicrobial solutions and harnessing the bioactive potential inherent in marine endophytic fungi. In conclusion, our study advances our comprehension of fungal communities and their applications and holds promise for the development of effective and environmentally friendly approaches for enhancing shrimp health and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary tract infections occupy a special niche among diseases of infectious etiology. Many microorganisms associated with urinary tract infections, such as Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterococcus spp., Morganella morganii, Moraxella catarrhalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus spp., and Candida spp., can form biofilms. The aim of this research was to study the effect of the enzyme L-lysine-Alpha-oxidase (LO) produced by the fungus Trichoderma harzianum Rifai on the biofilm formation process of microorganisms associated with urinary tract infections. Homogeneous LO showed a more pronounced effect than the culture liquid concentrate (cCL). When adding samples at the beginning of incubation, the maximum inhibition was observed in relation to Enterococcus faecalis 5960—cCL 86%, LO 95%; Enterococcus avium 1669—cCL 85%, LO 94%; Enterococcus cloacae 6392—cCL 83%, LO—98%; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3057—cCL 70%, LO—82%. The minimum inhibition was found in Candida spp. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out, and numerous morphological and structural changes were observed in the cells after culturing the bacterial cultures in a medium supplemented with homogeneous LO. For example, abnormal division was detected, manifesting as the appearance of joints in places where the bacteria diverge. Based on the results of this work, we can draw conclusions about the possibility of inhibiting microbial biofilm formation with the use of LO; especially significant inhibition was achieved when the enzyme was added at the beginning of incubation. Thus, LO can be a promising drug candidate for the treatment or prevention of infections associated with biofilm formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In hematologic cancers, including leukemia, cells depend on amino acids for rapid growth. Anti-metabolites that prevent their synthesis or promote their degradation are considered potential cancer treatment agents. Amino acid deprivation triggers proliferation inhibition, autophagy, and programmed cell death. l-lysine, an essential amino acid, is required for tumor growth and has been investigated for its potential as a target for cancer treatment. l-lysine α-oxidase, a flavoenzyme that degrades l-lysine, has been studied for its ability to induce apoptosis and prevent cancer cell proliferation. In this study, we describe the use of l-lysine α-oxidase (LO) from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum for cancer treatment. Results The study identified and characterized a novel LO from T. harzianum and demonstrated that the recombinant protein (rLO) has potent and selective cytotoxic effects on leukemic cells by triggering the apoptotic cascade through mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusions The results support future translational studies using the recombinant LO as a potential drug for the treatment of leukemia.

Abstract Background Pigeon pea is affected by the cyst nematode Heterodera cajani limiting the production. H. cajani can be managed by biological agents such as Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the determination of this experiment was to estimate native strains of T. harzianum isolated from pigeon pea fields in India on population of cyst, eggs and juveniles of H. cajani. Pots experiment was conducted at the playhouse of Sam Higginbottom University of Science and Technology, Prayagraj (UP), India, during the year of 2018–2020. Earthen pots were filled with sterilized soil @ 10 kg/pot for each replicate of the treatments. Ten days before sowing of the pigeon pea seed, about 5000 spores of T. harzianum were amended in to the soil for proper colonization. Fifteen days after seed germination, 200 cysts/pot were inoculated near the root zone of pigeon pea plant. The pots were irrigated when required. Observations were recorded of cyst population, eggs and second juveniles of H. cajani/500gm of pigeon pea rhizospheric soil at 90 days after sowing. Results Among all the isolates of T. harzianum, the treatment (T 7) reduced of cyst population (12), eggs population (234) and juveniles’ population (153) as compared with all other treatments including control at 90 days after sowing of pigeon pea seeds in the year 2018–2019. Similarly, in 2019–2020 reduction in cyst population (11), eggs population (189) and juveniles population (160) was observed at 90 days after sowing in Trichoderma isolates (T 7) as compared to control. Conclusions The findings of this study are very relevant since seven isolates of native T. harzianum were promising to suppress the number of cysts in 79.31 and 83.07%, eggs in 22.00 and 38.83% and juveniles’ population in 17.74 and 20.39% of the nematode H. cajani, besides promoting the pigeon pea plant growth.

This research work has been carried out at the University of Baghdad, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Plant Protection Department. The goal of the study was to determine how effectively biological fungus and a few plant extracts could be used to combat the pathogenic fungus that causes date palm blotch disease. Due to the fact that the antagonism was measured in a lab setting, the study demonstrated that the biological fungus Trichoderma Harzianum had a high antagonistic power against the pathogenic fungus Drechslera spp. The outcomes elucidated that the plant extracts of garlic and coriander, as well as biological control fungi have significantly suppressed the growth of pathogenic fungus. Also, the results manifested that the ability of an alcoholic extract of garlic to suppress the pathogenic fungus was superior to an alcoholic extract of coriander at various doses. The biological fungus is able to combat the diseases by surrounding their mycelium with its own, entering their walls, and devouring their nutrient-rich interiors. Additionally, the results of the experiment evinced that the percentage of inhibition for alcoholic extract varied significantly between the plant extracts with garlic extract recording the highest percentage of inhibition 98% and the coriander extract recording the lowest percentage of inhibition 89%. Phenols and saponins were also detected in the compositions under study. And, the zones' diameter of the inhibition for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively, varied from 4.1 to 14.3 mm and 2.4 to 10.4 mm, respectively.

Abstract Background Recurrent seizure is synchronous neuronal network hyperexcitation. Even though many anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are available, but have several drawbacks, including multiple drug interactions, suboptimal response rates, significant adverse effects, and a narrow therapeutic index. Trichoderma is a biocontrol agent which maintains stress-related gene expression to adapt to unstable environmental conditions. The current study sought to delineate the ameliorative effects of metabolites of Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) culture filtrate (ThCF) by assessing the functions of T regulatory cells and rebalancing oxidative stress. Methods Experimental rats were divided into control, epileptic, valproic acid-treated, and T. harzianum cultured filtrate (ThCF). Lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and antioxidant defense enzymes were estimated. Moreover, interleukins-6, -10, -17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor (TGF-β) were estimated using ELISA kits, in addition to T-reg markers; cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) were estimated by qRT-PCR. Results Data revealed that the T. harzianum cultured filtrate (ThCF) retarded the lipid oxidation rate and has antioxidant activities, as well as increased levels of GPx, CAT, and SOD. Moreover, ThCF re-balances T-reg/Th-17 cytokines, restoring the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and Treg markers, e.g., FOXP3 and CTLA-4, to their normal level. Conclusion Trichoderma harzianum has a potent antioxidant activity with high capacity to scavenge ROS and downregulate all T-reg markers. Therefore, the present data are directed toward the characterization of new active constituents of secondary metabolites of T. harzianum with significant therapeutic functions in several diseases. The promising findings may suggest more clinical and experimental scenarios to reduce AED’s drawbacks and side effects.

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.

Introduction: Asexual reproduction of Gastrodia elata Bl. f. glauca S. chow (GeB) produces degeneration with increasing number of GeB. Therefore, we analyzed the microorganisms of GeB seedlings and surrounding soil by Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology. Methods: In this study, Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to analyze the types and quantities of GeB seedlings and surrounding soil microorganisms in the first to third generations of asexual reproduction, isolated and identified the dominant strains of GeB in the first to third generations and screened the antagonistic bacteria of its pathogenic fungi, and evaluated the effects of beneficial bacteria on the production performance of seedlings planted with GeB. Results: With an increase in the number of asexual reproductive generations, the number of pathogenic fungi and bacteria in GeB seedlings and the surrounding soil increased, and the number of beneficial fungi and bacteria decreased. Pseudomonas sp., Agrobacterium rhizomes, and Herbaspirillum hiltneri were isolated and identified in the first generation, and Trichoderma harzianum, Penicillium viridiatum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Novosphingobium sp. Were isolated and identified in the third generation. Antagonistic strains of the three pathogenic bacterial strains were screened. In conclusion, beneficial bacteria significantly improved the production performance of asexual reproductive seedlings planted with GeB. Discussion: In conclusion, our findings suggested that the microorganisms of GeB seedlings and the surrounding soil change as the number of generations of GeB reproduction increases, disrupts the microecological balance of surrounding soil and endophytic microbiomes. This study provides a theoretical basis for the degradation of asexual reproduction in GeB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In hematologic cancers, including leukemia, cells depend on amino acids for rapid growth. Anti-metabolites that prevent their synthesis or promote their degradation are considered potential cancer treatment agents. Amino acid deprivation triggers proliferation inhibition, autophagy, and programmed cell death. l-lysine, an essential amino acid, is required for tumor growth and has been investigated for its potential as a target for cancer treatment. l-lysine α-oxidase, a flavoenzyme that degrades l-lysine, has been studied for its ability to induce apoptosis and prevent cancer cell proliferation. In this study, we describe the use of l-lysine α-oxidase (LO) from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum for cancer treatment. Results: The study identified and characterized a novel LO from T. harzianum and demonstrated that the recombinant protein (rLO) has potent and selective cytotoxic effects on leukemic cells by triggering the apoptotic cascade through mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusions: The results support future translational studies using the recombinant LO as a potential drug for the treatment of leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma harzianum exhibits a strong biological control effect on many important plant pathogens, such as Fusarium oxysporum, Botrytis cinerea, and Meloidogyne. However, its biocontrol effectiveness is weakened or reduced under salt stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular response of T. harzianum to salt stress at the whole-genome level. Here, we present a 44.47 Mb near-complete genome assembly of the T. harzianum qt40003 strain for the first time, which was assembled de novo with 7.59 Gb Nanopore sequencing long reads (~170-fold) and 5.2 Gb Illumina short reads (~116-fold). The assembled qt40003 genome contains 12 contigs, with a contig N50 of 4.81 Mb, in which four of the 12 contigs were entirely reconstructed in a single chromosome from telomere to telomere. The qt40003 genome contains 4.27 Mb of repeat sequences and 12,238 protein-coding genes with a BUSCO completeness of 97.5%, indicating the high accuracy and completeness of our gene annotations. Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis was used to investigate gene expression changes related to salt stress in qt40003 at 0, 2% (T2), and 4% (T4) sodium chloride concentrations. A total of 2,937 and 3,527 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained under T2 and T4 conditions, respectively. GO enrichment analysis showed that the T2-treatment DEGs were highly enriched in detoxification (p < 0.001), while the T4 DEGs were mainly enriched in cell components, mostly in cellular detoxification, cell surface, and cell wall. KEGG metabolic pathway analysis showed that 91 and 173 DEGs were significantly enriched in the T2 and T4 treatments, respectively (p < 0.01), mainly in the glutathione metabolism pathway. We further experimentally analyzed the differentially expressed glutathione transferase genes in the glutathione metabolic pathway, most of which were downregulated (13/15). In addition, we screened 13 genes related to active oxygen clearance, including six upregulated and seven downregulated genes, alongside five fungal hydrophobic proteins, of which two genes were highly expressed. Our study provides high-quality genome information for the use of T. harzianum for biological control and offers significant insights into the molecular responses of T. harzianum under salt-stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Trichoderma spp. is a recognized bio-control agent that promotes plant growth and enhances resistance against soil-borne diseases, especially Fusarium wilt. It is frequently suggested that there is a relationship between resistance to melon wilt and changes in soil microbiome structures in the rhizosphere with plant metabolites. However, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Method: This study aims to investigate the effects of Trichoderma application on the metabolic pathway of oriental melon roots in response to Fusarium oxysporumf. sp.melonis in a pot experiment. The experiment consisted of three treatments, namely water-treated (CK), FOM-inoculated (KW), and Trichoderma-applied (MM) treatments, that lasted for 25 days. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) was used to analyze the compounds in melon roots. Results: The results show that Trichoderma harzianum application resulted in a reduction in the severity of oriental melon Fusarium wilt. A total of 416 distinct metabolites, categorized into four groups, were detected among the 886 metabolites analyzed. Additionally, seven differential metabolites were identified as key compounds being accumulated after inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (FOM) and Trichoderma. The mechanism by which Trichoderma enhanced melon's resistance to Fusarium wilt was primarily associated with glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and the biosynthesis of cofactors pathway. In comparison with the treatments of CK and MM, the KW treatment increased the metabolites of flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, suggesting that oriental melon defended against pathogen infection by increasing flavonol biosynthesis in the KW treatment, whereas the application of Trichoderma harzianum decreased pathogen infection while also increasing the biosynthesis of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and biosynthesis of cofactors pathway, which were related to growth. This study also aims to enhance our understanding of how melon responds to FOM infection and the mechanisms by which Trichoderma harzianum treatment improves melon resistance at the metabolic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of plant biomass degradation by fungi is critical to the carbon cycle, and applications in bioproducts and biocontrol. Trichoderma harzianum is an important plant biomass degrader, enzyme producer, and biocontrol agent, but few putative major transcriptional regulators have been deleted in this species. The T. harzianum ortholog of the transcriptional activator XYR1/XlnR/XLR-1 was deleted, and the mutant strains were analyzed through growth profiling, enzymatic activities, and transcriptomics on cellulose. From plate cultures, the Δxyr1 mutant had reduced growth on D-xylose, xylan, and cellulose, and from shake-flask cultures with cellulose, the Δxyr1 mutant had ~90% lower β-glucosidase activity, and no detectable β-xylosidase or cellulase activity. The comparison of the transcriptomes from 18 h shake-flask cultures on D-fructose, without a carbon source, and cellulose, showed major effects of XYR1 deletion whereby the Δxyr1 mutant on cellulose was transcriptionally most similar to the cultures without a carbon source. The cellulose induced 43 plant biomass-degrading CAZymes including xylanases as well as cellulases, and most of these had massively lower expression in the Δxyr1 mutant. The expression of a subset of carbon catabolic enzymes, other transcription factors, and sugar transporters was also lower in the Δxyr1 mutant on cellulose. In summary, T. harzianum XYR1 is the master regulator of cellulases and xylanases, as well as regulating carbon catabolic enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated the effectiveness of different biocontrol agents and botanical extracts against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the bacteria responsible for bacterial blight in rice. The study found that Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens were effective in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria, while garlic extract showed the highest inhibitory effect. Other botanical extracts, such as tulsi and neem, also demonstrated effectiveness. These findings are consistent with previous research and provide valuable insights for managing bacterial blight in rice, particularly for farmers in Gujarat. [Extracted from the article]

In order to explore the effects of different Trichoderma harzianum concentrations on plant growth, fruit quality, and yield of netted melon, screen the optimum concentration of T. harzianum for netted melon in agricultural production, in this study, during the netted melon planting process, concentrations of 0.15 g/m² and 0.30 g/m² of T. harzianum were applied once on the day of planting and within 7 days after pollination, with the number of viable fungi equivalent to 90 million/m² and 180 million/m². The effects of T. harzianum concentration on various aspects of netted melon were analyzed and compared by measuring the field growth of netted melon plants, including leaf area, stem diameter, plant height, root growth(root diameter, root length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight), fruit quality indicators(single melon weight, fruit vertical diameter, fruit transverse diameter, pulp thickness, edge soluble solid content, and center soluble solid content), as well as yield and commodity rate. The results indicated that the application of T. harzianum significantly increased plant height, single melon weight, fruit vertical diameter, root fresh weight, and root dry weight of netted melon, leading to increased yield and commodity rate. The experiment demonstrated that T. harzianum had a positive effect on the growth of netted melon plants and roots, as well as on the quality and yield of netted melon. Specifically, the application of 0.15 g/m² of T. harzianum had a more favorable effect on the growth, fruit quality, yield, and commodity rate of netted melon plants, while the application of 0.30 g/m² of T. harzianum had a better effect on the growth of netted melon roots. Considering economic cost factors, the application of 0.15 g/m² concentration of T. harzianum in netted melon production was more economical, requiring less T. harzianum, aligning with China's current green agriculture requirements, and being more suitable for promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal species isolated from infected seedlings showed the appearance of root rot fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina. The evaluation of two biological control agents, Trichoderma viride and Trichoderma harzianum, showed their ability to inhibit pathogenic fungi, and as per Bell's scale, the inhibition percentage ranged from 1% to 2%. Both biological controls, T. harzianum and T. viride, significantly reduced the incidence of infection caused by the fungi. T. harzianum reduced the incidence of R. solani (20%), which was at par with T. viride (33.33%) reduction of R. solani, and a reduction in M. phaseolina and F. solani with T. viride amounted to 30.00% and 33.33%, respectively, compared with the control treatment inoculated with the fungus only (80.00%). Results also revealed that these two types lessened infection severity, where the highest decrease in infection severity with F. solani was 0.30 and 0.20 for T. viride and T. harzianum, respectively. In addition, both biological controls also positively affected the plant growth characteristics. T. harzianum with M. phaseolina increased shoot height (22.20 cm) compared with the pathogenic fungus treatment (16.46 cm), respectively. Moreover, the T. harzianum with M. phaseolina treatment significantly raised root length and dry weight compared with the control treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment with four treatments (chemical fertilizer alone, CK; manure plus chemical fertilizer, CM; Trichoderma harzianum plus chemical fertilizer, CF; T. harzianum plus manure plus chemical fertilizer, CMF) was conducted to investigate changes in soil bacterial community and cotton yield in 2020 and 2021. Soil aggregate stability and economic feasibility of the four treatments were evaluated. Manure and T. harzianum application significantly improved soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen and increased soil aggregate stability. Increases of Proteobacteria abundance were 31.62% and 23.51% in 2020 and 2021, respectively, while the increases of Actinobacteria were increased by 21.65% in 2020 and 19.19% in 2021. Manure effects contributed to 46.15% variation of soil bacterial community while T. harzianum contributed to 40.67% variation. Relative abundances of Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria were negatively correlated with SOC. Differently, Chloroflexi was positively correlated with SOC. Concerning the economic feasibility, maximum appreciation was also obtained when manure combined with T. harzianum, which was better than sole manure or T. harzianum. Co-application of manure and T. harzianum improved soil fertility and regulated soil bacterial community which contributed to increases of cotton yield. Thus, it can be applied as a promising measure for promoting cotton production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi have the capacity to assimilate a diverse range of both inorganic and organic sulfur compounds. It has been recognized that all sulfur sources taken up by fungi are in soluble forms. In this study, we present evidence that fungi can utilize gaseous carbonyl sulfide (COS) for the assimilation of a sulfur compound. We found that the filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum strain THIF08, which has constitutively high COS-degrading activity, was able to grow with COS as the sole sulfur source. Cultivation with 34S-labeled COS revealed that sulfur atom from COS was incorporated into intracellular metabolites such as glutathione and ergothioneine. COS degradation by strain THIF08, in which as much of the moisture derived from the agar medium as possible was removed, indicated that gaseous COS was taken up directly into the cell. Escherichia coli transformed with a COS hydrolase (COSase) gene, which is clade D of the ß-class carbonic anhydrase subfamily enzyme with high specificity for COS but low activity for CO2 hydration, showed that the COSase is involved in COS assimilation. Comparison of sulfur metabolites of strain THIF08 revealed a higher relative abundance of reduced sulfur compounds under the COS-supplemented condition than the sulfate-supplemented condition, suggesting that sulfur assimilation is more energetically efficient with COS than with sulfate because there is no redox change of sulfur. Phylogenetic analysis of the genes encoding COSase, which are distributed in a wide range of fungal taxa, suggests that the common ancestor of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota acquired COSase at about 790-670 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soilborne pathogens reduce 60% of the yield of onion crops. A common fungal pathogen causing wilt disease and severe losses is Fusarium basal rot (FBR). In this study, the combination of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) with Trichoderma harzianum was investigated against FBR. Onion samples were collected from the Ankara–Polatlı region. Among the isolates, isolate S6 was identified as F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae (FOC) using morphological and molecular methods and pathogenicity tests. Different combinations of AMF (Funneliformis mosseae pure strain and the commercial AMF) and T. harzianum were inoculated on susceptible onion cultivars (Seç, Gence, and Şampiyon). The effects of the treatments on FOC biocontrol were studied under growth chamber conditions. The results showed that Şampiyon was the most resistant, while Gence was the most susceptible to basal rot disease. Different colonization rates (8.91–24%), spore densities (16.4–50.4 spore/10 g soil), and the extent to which a plant needs mycorrhizal conditions to grow to its maximum potential (i.e., mycorrhizal dependencies—18.3–51.9%) were recorded by treatment. Both single and combined applications of AMF and Trichoderma applications suppressed FOC. Suppressive effects were more pronounced when the F. mosseae pure strain was used alone (when F. mosseae was used, disease severity decreased from 90 to 68%, p < 0.05). The F. mosseae pure strain also showed the best plant growth promotion and phosphorus content release. The results indicate an interesting potential use of F. mosseae and the combination of AMF with T. harzianum in the management of FOC in onions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae is one of the most aggressive baby-lettuce soilborne pathogens. The application of Trichoderma spp. as biocontrol agents can minimize fungicide treatments and their effective targeted use can be enhanced by support of digital technologies. In this work, two Trichoderma harzianum strains achieved 40–50% inhibition of pathogen radial growth in vitro. Their effectiveness in vivo was surveyed by assessing disease incidence and severity and acquiring hyperspectral and thermal features of the canopies being treated. Infected plants showed a reduced light absorption in the green and near-red regions over time, reflecting the disease progression. In contrast, Trichoderma-treated plant reflectance signatures, even in the presence of the pathogen, converged towards the healthy control values. Seventeen vegetation indices were selected to follow disease progression. The thermographic data were informative in the middle–late stages of disease (15 days post-infection) when symptoms were already visible. A machine-learning model based on hyperspectral data enabled the early detection of the wilting starting from 6 days post-infection, and three different spectral regions sensitive to baby-lettuce wilting (470–490 nm, 740–750 nm, and 920–940 nm) were identified. The obtained results pioneer an effective AI-based decision support system (DSS) for crop monitoring and biocontrol-based management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pigeon pea is affected by the cyst nematode Heterodera cajani limiting the production. H. cajani can be managed by biological agents such as Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the determination of this experiment was to estimate native strains of T. harzianum isolated from pigeon pea fields in India on population of cyst, eggs and juveniles of H. cajani. Pots experiment was conducted at the playhouse of Sam Higginbottom University of Science and Technology, Prayagraj (UP), India, during the year of 2018–2020. Earthen pots were filled with sterilized soil @ 10 kg/pot for each replicate of the treatments. Ten days before sowing of the pigeon pea seed, about 5000 spores of T. harzianum were amended in to the soil for proper colonization. Fifteen days after seed germination, 200 cysts/pot were inoculated near the root zone of pigeon pea plant. The pots were irrigated when required. Observations were recorded of cyst population, eggs and second juveniles of H. cajani/500gm of pigeon pea rhizospheric soil at 90 days after sowing. Results: Among all the isolates of T. harzianum, the treatment (T 7) reduced of cyst population (12), eggs population (234) and juveniles' population (153) as compared with all other treatments including control at 90 days after sowing of pigeon pea seeds in the year 2018–2019. Similarly, in 2019–2020 reduction in cyst population (11), eggs population (189) and juveniles population (160) was observed at 90 days after sowing in Trichoderma isolates (T 7) as compared to control. Conclusions: The findings of this study are very relevant since seven isolates of native T. harzianum were promising to suppress the number of cysts in 79.31 and 83.07%, eggs in 22.00 and 38.83% and juveniles' population in 17.74 and 20.39% of the nematode H. cajani, besides promoting the pigeon pea plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to test the effect of a nutrient solution, with the addition of microbial inoculum, on the growth and mineral composition of 'Hilbert' and 'Barlach' lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa var. crispa, L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum, L.) cultivated in a vertical indoor farm. These crops were grown in four different variants of nutrient solution: (1) hydroponic; (2) aquaponic, derived from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) with rainbow trout; (3) aquaponic, treated with Trichoderma harzianum; (4) aquaponic, treated with Bacillus mojavensis. The benefits of T. harzianum inoculation were most evident in basil, where a significantly higher number of leaves (by 44.9%), a higher nitrate content (by 36.4%), and increased vitamin C (by 126.0%) were found when compared to the aquaponic variant. Inoculation with T. harzianum can be recommended for growing basil in N-limited conditions. B. mojavensis caused a higher degree of removal of Na+ and Cl− from the nutrient solution (243.1% and 254.4% higher, in comparison to the aquaponic solution). This is desirable in aquaponics as these ions may accumulate in the system solution. B. mojavensis further increased the number of leaves in all crops (by 44.9–82.9%) and the content of vitamin C in basil and 'Hilbert' lettuce (by 168.3 and 45.0%) compared to the aquaponic solution. The inoculums of both microbial species used did not significantly affect the crop yield or the activity of the biofilter. The nutrient levels in RAS-based nutrient solutions are mostly suboptimal or in a form that is unavailable to the plants; thus, their utilization must be maximized. These findings can help to reduce the required level of supplemental mineral fertilizers in aquaponics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological control using plant-beneficial fungi has gained considerable interest as a sustainable method for pest management, by priming the plant for enhanced defense against pathogens and insect herbivores. However, despite promising outcomes, little is known about how different fungal strains mediate these beneficial effects. In this study, we evaluated whether inoculation of tomato seeds with the plant-beneficial fungi Beauveria bassiana ARSEF 3097, Metarhizium brunneum ARSEF 1095 and Trichoderma harzianum T22 affected the plant’s volatile organic compound (VOC) profile and the host-choice behavior of Nesidiocoris tenuis, an emerging pest species in NW-European tomato cultivation, and the related zoophytophagous biocontrol agent Macrolophus pygmaeus. Results indicated that fungal inoculation did not significantly alter the VOC composition of tomato plants. However, in a two-choice cage assay where female insects were given the option to select between control plants and fungus-inoculated plants, N. tenuis preferred control plants over M. brunneum-inoculated plants. Nearly 72% of all N. tenuis individuals tested chose the control treatment. In all other combinations tested, no significant differences were found for none of the insects. We conclude that inoculation of tomato with plant-beneficial fungi had limited effects on plant volatile composition and host-choice behavior of insects. However, the observation that N. tenuis was deterred from the crop when inoculated with M. brunneum and attracted to non-inoculated plants may provide new opportunities for future biocontrol based on a push-pull strategy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carnation, a major cut flower product cultivated economically in Iran, faces economic challenges due to the devastating Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi (Fod). To address this issue, twenty-five Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride isolates were collected from the rhizosphere soil of three Iranian provinces: Tehran, Markazi, and Fars. RAPD-PCR was applied to analyze the genetic relatedness of the isolates. Results: The RAPD profiles showed genetic diversity among the isolates, with two major clusters. The antagonistic potential of the twenty isolates was evaluated against the carnation wilt caused by Fod. The results showed that Th1, Th7, and Th2 isolates of T. harzianum significantly inhibited Fod mycelial growth (58, 56.5, and 48.6%, respectively). Among T. viride isolates, Tv5, Tv4, and Tv7 exhibited the highest antifungal ability to inhibit mycelial growth. All investigated isolates of Trichoderma secreted volatile compounds that hindered Fod mycelial growth, with isolates of T. harzianum ranging from 9.3 to 67.5% inhibition and those of T. viride from 25.2 to 50.2%. Additionally, the experiment on competitive saprophytic ability indicated that maximum colonization occurred with Th1, Th7, and Th2 isolates at 78.2, 70.8, and 69.8%, respectively. Lastly, the greenhouse experiment showed a complete pathogen eradication or significant inhibition in the infected carnation after T. harzianum and T. viride. Conversely, control treatment with the Fod pathogen died after 90 days. Conclusions: The investigation suggested that Trichoderma spp. could be a potential biocontrol agent to mitigate Fusarium wilt in carnation and improve production quality, replacing chemical pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi associated with the marine echinoderm, Holothuria scabra, produces extracellular enzymes and bioactive metabolites, and mycoviruses that could be used for biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. The species identification based on molecular and morphological characteristics classified the culturable fungi into twenty-three genera belonging to eight orders, Chaetothyriales, Eurotiales, Hypocreales, Mucorales, Mycosphaerellales, Onygenales, Pleosporales and Venturiales, from four classes, Eurotiomycetes, Dothideomycetes, Mucoromycetes and Sordariomycetes of the two phyla Ascomycota and Mucoromycota. The most frequent genera were Aspergillus (relative frequency, 45.30%) and Penicillium (relative frequency, 22.68%). The Menhinick species richness and Shannon species diversity indices were 1.64 and 2.36, respectively, indicating a high diversity of fungi. An enzymatic production test revealed that sixteen isolates could produce proteases and amylases at different levels. The presence of mycoviruses was detected in eight isolates with different genomic profiles. Thirty-two of the 55 isolates produced antimicrobial metabolites which had an inhibitory effect on various microbial pathogens. Most of these active isolates were identified as Aspergillus, Penicillium and Trichoderma. Notably, Aspergillus terreus F10M7, Trichoderma harzianum F31M4 and T. harzianum F31M5 showed the most potent activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and human pathogenic fungi. Our study represents the first report of the mycobiota associated with the marine echinoderm Holothuria scabra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, CV dye, known as a recalcitrant dye, was tested for bioremediation via Trichoderma harzianum in a dual-chambered MFC for the first time. Two types of carbon clothes, KIP and CSV from the Dacarb company (France), were tested as electrodes and supported for fungi growth. We first observed that 52% and 55% of the CV were removed by the MFC using KIP and CSV anodes, respectively. The incomplete removal of VC was explained by the relative toxicity of VC to T. harzianum and correlated with IC50 determined as 0.97 ± 0.28 mg L−1 at 25 °C. Furthermore, the MFC working with the KIP electrode was more efficient with a higher maximum power density of 1096 mW m−3 and was only 14.1 mW m−3 for CSV. The MFC experiments conducted on KIP without the T. harzianum biofilm exhibited significantly lower potential and power density values, which proves the electrocatalytic effect of this fungus. These results provide new insight into the development of an effective MFC system capable of direct energy generation and, at the same time, promoting the bioremediation of the persistent CV pollutant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. is a soil- and seed-borne pathogen that causes charcoal rot and various rots and blights of more than 500 crop species. Dry root rot (DRR) also called as charcoal rot which causes yield loss ranged from 25-48 per cent. The pathogen is necrotroph and infects a wide range of crops. It is observed that mycelium of M. phaseolina in cotyledons, plumule and radicle, in the naturally infected seeds of mungbean and cowpea. The disease symptoms are clearly visible from the time of emergence and can be evaluated at various stages of development of the plant. The mechanical plugging of the xylem vessels by microsclerotia, toxin production, enzymatic action and mechanical pressure during penetration lead to disease development. Management of M. phaseolina aim to reduce the number of sclerotia in soil or to minimize the contact of the inoculum and the host. Soil solarization can be a cost-effective method for management of soil borne diseases. Disease suppression by biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride and Bacillus subtilis are the sustained manifestation of interactions among the plant, the pathogen, the biocontrol agent, the microbial community on and around the plant and the physical environment and considerably inhibited growth of M. phaseolina. Essential oils and plant extracts contain a multitude of bioactive substances against fungi, bacteria and nematodes. It has been reported that neem oil, turmeric and garlic was effective against M. phaseolina in in vitro condition. Chemical control is an effective method when seed treatment and foliar spray of carbendazim, topsin M-70, captan, thiram, mancozeb, copper oxychloride against root rot and leaf blight (Macrophomina phaseolina) topsin M-70, captan, thiram, mancozeb, copper oxychloride against root rot (Macrophomina phaseolina). As non-chemical alternative methods can be time-consuming and less effective against soilborne plant pathogens. Chemical control is an effective method of controlling some soilborne diseases in agricultural crops. Varoius workers are reported compatibility of biocontrol agents with fungicides and found that Carbendazim and biocontrol agents Trichoderma viride, T. harizianum were found effective under in vitro and pot condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma harzianum is a well-known biological control agent (BCA) that shows great potential in controlling many pathogenic fungi. To screen for genes associated with mycoparasitism, we sequenced and analyzed the transcriptome of T. harzianum T4 grown in dual culture with Colletotrichum musae. We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Trichoderma harzianum T4 in three different culture periods: before contact (BC), during contact (C) and after contact (AC). A total of 1453 genes were significantly differentially expressed compared to when T. harzianum T4 was cultured alone. During the three periods of double culture of T. harzianum T4 with C. musae, 74, 516, and 548 genes were up-regulated, respectively, and 11, 315, and 216 genes were down-regulated, respectively. The DEGs were screened using GO and KEGG enrichment analyses combined with differential expression multiples. Six gene categories related to mycoparasitism were screened: (a) pathogen recognition and signal transduction, (b) hydrolases, (c) ribosomal proteins and secreted proteins, (d) multidrug-resistant proteins and transporters, (e) heat shock proteins and detoxification, and (f) oxidative stress and antibiotics-related genes. The expression levels of 24 up-regulated genes during T. harzianum T4’s antagonistic interaction with C. musae were detected via real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). This study provided information on the transcriptional expression of T. harzianum T4 against C. musae. These results may help us to further understand the mechanism of mycoparasitism, which can provide a potential molecular target for improving the biological control capacity of T. harzianum T4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of utilizing a bio-agent in combination with a fungicide and an organic amendment to reduce collar rot disease of soybean caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. Before conducting field studies, in vitro tests were used to identify the most virulent S. rolfsii isolate, effective antagonistic isolate of Trichoderma harzianum, fungicide, and organic amendment. The SSC-1 isolate was identified as the test pathogen after seven S. rolfsii isolates were exposed to the pathogenicity test. The ISR-26 strain of T. harzianum was the most efficient of the 87 T. harzianum isolates which could inhibit the radial development of pathogen by 81.85%. The most effective seed-treating fungicide in the fungicidal assessment trial, Provax 200 was found at a moderate dosage (150 ppm), while Conza 5%EC required at 300 ppm to inhibit the radial growth of the S. rolfsii isolate SSC-1. The test pathogen's growth and development were stunted about 65.92% by mustard oil cake at a concentration of 3% which was the most effective organic amendment as compared to others. In the field trial, treatment T9 (pathogen inoculated soil+wheat grains colonized T. harzianum isolate ISR--26+organic amendment+fungicide treated seeds) was the most efficient in dropping seedling mortality (80.24%), disease incidence (86.06%), and disease severity (84.8%). This T9 treatment was the most effective procedure of collar rot disease control in soybean and it also resulted in a substantial increase in yield (355.32%). Growers of soybean around the world might be benefitted more from this holistic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro and planta field experiments were conducted to check the effect of Trichoderma harzianum organic amendments in controlling chickpea's major soil-borne diseases. T. harzianum, isolate Tri-9 was selected for its in vitro efficacy against Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia solani the causal organisms of important chickpea diseases in the field. Subsequently, spore suspension and wheat grain colonized inoculum of isolate Tri-9 were prepared for further planta use. Three different organic amendments such as poultry refuse, cow dung, and mustard oil cake after being fortified with wheat grain colonized T. harzianum isolate Tri-9. Both the fortified soil amendments and Tri-9 spore suspensions were checked in the chickpea growing field under natural conditions. Besides disease suppression, the growth-promoting parameters and yield were also recorded. Trichoderma fortified poultry refuge was found significantly effective in plummeting pre -and post-emergence seedling mortality, disease incidence, and severity. All the treatments significantly increased the growth - promoting components, yield, and improved seed quality compared to those of untreated control. Trichoderma fortified compost mixed with poultry refuge was the best to control soil -borne diseases of chickpea as well increase yield and their quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the bio-agent formulations of Trichoderma harzianum, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the protection of lupine plants against wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lupini. T. harzianum isolate (T1), P. aeruginosa isolate (P1) and B. subtilis isolate (B3) were the most effective ones in reducing the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. lupini in vitro. Consequently, these isolates were used as bio-agent to control wilt on lupine plants in greenhouse experiments. The bio-agent isolates administered in the form of cells in broth media, powdered cells, and immobilized cells on sawdust as formulations were tested for their abilities to control lupine wilt in a greenhouse compared to Captan fungicide. Soil treatments with the three bioagent formulations (broth medium or cells powder and sawdust) showed a markedly great reduction in wilt disease severity. Although all the formulations reduced the wilt disease severity compared to the water treatment, using the cells powder formulation of bio-agent reduced the wilt severity more than broth medium and sawdust formulations. In all formulations, T. harzianum (T1) exhibited the highest effect in the control of wilt compared with other bio-agent treatments. The sawdust and powder bio-agent formulations significantly reduced the disease severity of wilt on Lupine, as well as improved growth parameters (shoot, root, and plant length and seed yield/plant) of lupine plants compared with control treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In glass house, we studied the effects of different management practices [carbofuran @ 1 and 2 kg a.i./ha-1, Trichoderma harzianum @1 and 2 % w/w and neem (Azadirachta indica L.) oil @ 1 and 2 % w/v (1500 ppm)] as seed treatment on root-knot nematode (RKN) and their impact on plant growth of mungbean. The neem oil (i). stimulated the nodule formation and functioning, (ii). improved the uptake of major nutrients [N (1.65 %), P (0.39 %), K (2.58 %), Ca (4.28 %) and Mg (0.58 %)] and (iii). increased shoot length (32.59 %), root length (12.89 %), fresh and dry weight of shoot (57.07 % and 75.41 % resp.) than untreated inoculated control plants. However, it decreased the root fresh (11.83 %) and dry weight (31.26 %) over control. While carbofuran treatment, showed decreased plant growth than control. The nematode incidence [root galls/plant, egg masses/plant and nematode population] was least with carbofuran followed by neem oil and T. harzianum. Neem oil significantly enhanced plant yield (number and weight of pods per plant) by 70% and 108%, respectively, compared to other treatments including carbofuran, T. harzianum, and control. The neem oil and T. harzianum not only provided good biocontrol of root-knot nematode but also enhanced to vegetative growth and nodulation in mungbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixes of compatible beneficial microorganisms can perform better than single strains to support plant health and growth. This study examined effects of inoculating tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) roots with individual and mixed suspensions of Trichoderma harzianum ITEM 3636 and Pseudomonas putida PCI2 on growth and yield in field assays. Culture filtrates were used to observe in vitro compatibility between strains. Effects of ITEM 3636 on tomato seedlings in vitro were studied. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine root colonization by the bacterial and fungal strains. ITEM 3636 was compatible with PCI2 and improved root density in vitro. When compared to other treatments, co-inoculation of tomato plants consistently resulted in increases in the number of fruit and yield under field conditions. Co-inoculating tomato roots during transplanting with the studied microorganisms may improve plant survival and increase productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information presented in this study suggests that Trichoderma could be used as a secure, environmentally acceptable, and efficient biocontrol agent for many crop species. The family Hypocreaceae includes a variety of free-living fungi under the genus Trichoderma (class Ascomycetes), which live in different ecosystems in a wide range of climatic zones and can be found all over the world. This paper provides a summary of the biological control activity of Trichoderma spp. and highlights recent developments in delineating Trichoderma’s role in biochemical and molecular processes in the rhizosphere, as well as its ecological significance and advantages of symbiosis with the plant host in terms of physiological and biochemical mechanisms. We examined the interactions between Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) strains and some soilborne plant pathogens (Phylaspora rhodia, Diaporthe citri, and Nattrassia mangiferae) in vitro and in vivo. All T. harzianum strains tested antagonistic and inhibited plant pathogenic and wood decay fungi growth on the PDA medium. When it was tested, the strain TII was more muscular, so it was a better competitor against the wood decay pathogens under the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The present paper aimed to optimize the medium composition and fermentation parameters of Trichoderma harzianum strain UN-2 producing β-glucanase, improve its β-glucanase production capacity, and study the antagonism of the crude enzyme solution of βglucanase on the pathogen of rice sheath blight and its field control effect, so as to clarify the application potential of T. harzianum strain UN2 in controlling rice sheath blight. [Method] In order to optimize the inducing conditions for the production of β-glucanase from T. harzianum strain UN-2, a single factor experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of carbon, nitrogen and metal ions on the production of β-glucanase from T. harzianum strain UN-2, and orthogonal experiments were used to determine the optimal temperature, pH, inoculation amount, bottled amount, shaking speed, and fermentation time for the production of glucanase from T. harzianum strain UN-2. The antifungal and preventive effects of crude β-glucanase solution on rice sheath blight were studied through in vitro antagonism and field experiments. [Result] The optimal carbon and nitrogen sources for the fermentation of β-glucanase from T. harzianum strain UN-2 were wheat bran and ammonium sulfate, respectively. Metal ions Ca2+ and Mg2+ had a significant promotional effect on the activity of β-glucanase induced from T. harzianum. The optimal culture medium for T. harzianum strain UN-2 to produce β-Glucanase were composed of 10.0 g/L wheat bran, 0.5 g/L β-glucan, 4.0 g/L ammonium sulfate, 1.5 mmol/L Ca2+,0.5 mmol/L Mg2+. And the optimal fermentation conditions for producing β-glucanase were as follows: 30 mL medium filled in 250 mL flask with 8 mL inoculum amount of the culture, initial pH 6.5, at 32 °C, with shaker speed 160 r/min, incubating for 64 hours. The crude β-glucanase solution induced from T. harzianum strain UN-2 had a significant inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth and sclerotia germination of Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizoctonia cerealis, and the field control effect on rice sheath blight caused by R. solani was 70.45%, which was equivalent to 5% Jinggangmycin treatment. The crude β-glucanase solution could improve rice seed setting rate and grain plumpness. [Conclusion】 Under the optimal fermentation conditions, the activity of β-glucanase induced from T. harzianum strain UN-2 is 97.68 U/mL, the crude β-glucanase solution has strong antifungal and preventive effects on rice sheath blight, and has a certain growth promotion effect on rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research has been conceptualized to see the impact of Trichoderma harzianum synthesized siderophore in alleviation of heavy metal stress [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd)] first time for Solanum melongena under high concentration. Alongside, we reported impact of siderophore in form of product for S. melongena seed germination in presence of heavy metal stress under high and low concentration. Optimization of siderophore production was achieved using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) that resulted in an increment of siderophore production. Through RSM, 92.7% siderophore unit was obtained whereas without using RSM only 89.1% siderophore unit was obtained. The novelty of this work lies in the fact that T. harzianum synthesized metal chelators have not been used previously for S. melongena seed germination under different heavy metal stress (Pb, Hg and Cd). Based on obtained results, we have found that in case of siderophore treated seeds, germination percentage was increased such as in 400 mg/kg of Cd and Pb concentration (with siderophore) seeds germination % was 66.6 ± 3.4% and 62.5 ± 6.8% respectively, whereas non-siderophore treated seeds germination % was 30.5 ± 5.1% and 27.7 ± 5.1% respectively. In presence of 100 mg/kg of Hg with siderophore, seed germination % was 59.7 ± 7.8% whereas in Hg stressed seeds (non siderophore treated) germination was 19.2 ± 3.9% respectively. The cluster heat map was deployed to analyze the effect of siderophore treatment on S. melongena seedling under heavy metal stress. Obtained results suggested that we can deploy the use of RSM to enhance the siderophore production using different factors such as carbon, nitrogen, pH and FeCl3 etc. It is worthwhile approach to use siderophore as plant growth promotor in heavy metal stress due to its metal chelating activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Argentinian Horticulture / Horticultura Argentina is the property of Revista Horticultura Argentina 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.)

Copyright of Revista Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria is the property of Agrosavia 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.)

The ability of the soil-inhabiting ascomycetes Lecanicillium aphanocladii, Talaromyces sayulitensis, Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium oxysporum to use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a sole carbon and energy source has been shown. Utilization of PET by the studied fungi, except for L. aphanocladii, was accompanied by the production of emulsifying compounds. All fungi exhibited the activity of cutinase, the key PET depolymerization enzyme, and a number of oxidoreductases, which apparently catalyze the oxidation of the resulting products: peroxidases in F. oxysporum and T. harzianum, as well as peroxidases and oxidases in L. aphanocladii and Tal. sayulitensis. The data we obtained can be used to develop environmental biotechnologies and contribute to understanding of the processes of degradation/conversion of plastics in natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Morinda officinalis How (MO) is a Rubiaceae plant, and its medicinal part is dried root, which is one of the "Four Southern Medicines" in China. At present, the plant MO breed seedlings mainly by cutting methods. Long-term asexual propagation makes pathogenic fungi accumulate in MO, leading to stem-base rot, which is caused by Fusarium oxysporum (Fon). Methods: In this study, we used Trichoderma harzianum and Pestalotiopsis sp. as biocontrol fungi to investigate their antagonistic ability to Fon through in vitro antagonism and pot experiments, and combined with transcriptome sequencing to explore the mechanism of biocontrol. Results: The results showed that both Trichoderma harzianum and Pestalotiopsis sp. could inhibit the growth of Fon. In addition, Trichoderma harzianum and Pestalotiopsis sp. could also enhance the basic immunity to Fon by increasing the activities of defensive enzymes such as POD and SOD, chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content, and oligosaccharide content of MO. The mechanism of biological control of stem-base rot of MO was discussed by transcriptome technology. MO was treated with two treatments, root irrigation with biocontrol fungi or inoculation with Fon after root irrigation with biocontrol fungi. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that nearly 11,188 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in the process of inducing MO systemic resistance to Fon by biocontrol fungi. Meanwhile, Gene Ontology (GO) classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, as well as transcription factor (TFs) prediction showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of MO roots under different treatments. Also, the genes of the "MAPK signaling pathway" and "plant hormone signaling pathway" were analyzed, in which the ERFs gene of the ethylene signal transduction pathway participated in the metabolism of glycosyl compounds. It is speculated that the ethylene signal may participate in the immune response of the sugar signal to the infection of Fon. After qRT-PCR verification of 10 DEGs related to the ethylene signal transduction pathway, the expression trend is consistent with the results of transcriptome sequencing, which proves the reliability of transcriptome sequencing. Discussion: In conclusion, this study preliminarily identified the molecular mechanism of the biological control of MO stem-base rot and provided a scientific basis for further research on the prevention and control mechanism of MO stem-base rot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recurrent seizure is synchronous neuronal network hyperexcitation. Even though many anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are available, but have several drawbacks, including multiple drug interactions, suboptimal response rates, significant adverse effects, and a narrow therapeutic index. Trichoderma is a biocontrol agent which maintains stress-related gene expression to adapt to unstable environmental conditions. The current study sought to delineate the ameliorative effects of metabolites of Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) culture filtrate (ThCF) by assessing the functions of T regulatory cells and rebalancing oxidative stress. Methods: Experimental rats were divided into control, epileptic, valproic acid-treated, and T. harzianum cultured filtrate (ThCF). Lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and antioxidant defense enzymes were estimated. Moreover, interleukins-6, -10, -17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor (TGF-β) were estimated using ELISA kits, in addition to T-reg markers; cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) were estimated by qRT-PCR. Results: Data revealed that the T. harzianum cultured filtrate (ThCF) retarded the lipid oxidation rate and has antioxidant activities, as well as increased levels of GPx, CAT, and SOD. Moreover, ThCF re-balances T-reg/Th-17 cytokines, restoring the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and Treg markers, e.g., FOXP3 and CTLA-4, to their normal level. Conclusion: Trichoderma harzianum has a potent antioxidant activity with high capacity to scavenge ROS and downregulate all T-reg markers. Therefore, the present data are directed toward the characterization of new active constituents of secondary metabolites of T. harzianum with significant therapeutic functions in several diseases. The promising findings may suggest more clinical and experimental scenarios to reduce AED's drawbacks and side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of isolation and identification of fungal growths on the culture medium PDA showed obtaining several different isolates from different regions of the pathogenic fungus Verticillium nubilum. The results of the PCR transfer on an agarose gel were shown by giving a band size of 500-650 bp to the pathogenic fungus Verticillium nubilum. The isolates of the pathogenic fungus V. nubilum caused a significant decrease in the percentage of germination of eggplant seeds grown on water agar medium, compared to the control treatment, which amounted to 100%, where the germination rate ranged between (1-73%). The results also showed that there was a high antagonistic ability and high significant differences between the pathogenic fungus V. nubilum and the bio-control elements, compared to the control treatment, which amounted to 0.0%. The treatment of Bacillus subtilis gave the highest inhibition rate, reaching 96.75%. Followed by the treatment of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum, which reached 91.07% and the treatment of Beltanol gave an inhibition rate of 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plant pathogens, especially Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp. and Alternaria spp. can seriously affect seedling growth and crop production. Trichoderma is recognized as a suitable biological plant protection product because of its capability to enhance the plant's nutrient utilization, foster plant growth, and prevent plant pathogens. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of Trichoderma on bean growth and the reduction of disease severity by forming experimental groups in pot application. The ability of Trichoderma strains to grow in different salinity ranges and their effects on germination success when applied to different seeds were also tested. In the study, Trichoderma harzianum ID11D (T. harzianum ID11D) alone and Trichoderma atroviride ID20G (T. atroviride ID20G) alone were applied to bean seedlings infected with R. solani. It was found that bean plants inoculated with pathogens in pots treated with T. harzianum ID11D had better data and biomass than the untreated control with Trichoderma inoculated with R. solani. In the pot experiment, it was found that the number of root hairs and the fresh and dry weights of roots increased and the disease effect decreased in the bean plant groups inoculated with the T.harzianum ID11D. Application of T. atroviride ID20G only of the pot group resulted in an increase in the wet and dry weight of the stem. Based on the results of our study, Trichoderma strains were found to have beneficial effects that may be of interest for the development of commercial products containing Trichoderma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]