scholarly journals Deciphering Trichoderma–Plant–Pathogen Interactions for Better Development of Biocontrol Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Alsayed Alfiky ◽  
Laure Weisskopf

Members of the fungal genus Trichoderma (Ascomycota, Hypocreales, Hypocreaceae) are ubiquitous and commonly encountered as soil inhabitants, plant symbionts, saprotrophs, and mycoparasites. Certain species have been used to control diverse plant diseases and mitigate negative growth conditions. The versatility of Trichoderma’s interactions mainly relies on their ability to engage in inter- and cross-kingdom interactions. Although Trichoderma is by far the most extensively studied fungal biocontrol agent (BCA), with a few species already having been commercialized as bio-pesticides or bio-fertilizers, their wide application has been hampered by an unpredictable efficacy under field conditions. Deciphering the dialogues within and across Trichoderma ecological interactions by identification of involved effectors and their underlying effect is of great value in order to be able to eventually harness Trichoderma’s full potential for plant growth promotion and protection. In this review, we focus on the nature of Trichoderma interactions with plants and pathogens. Better understanding how Trichoderma interacts with plants, other microorganisms, and the environment is essential for developing and deploying Trichoderma-based strategies that increase crop production and protection.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Zahir Muhammad ◽  
Naila Inayat ◽  
Abdul Majeed ◽  
Hazrat Ali ◽  
Kaleem Ullah ◽  
...  

Abstract Crop plants have defined roles in agricultural production and feeding the world. They are affected by several environmental and biological stresses, which range from soil salinity, drought, and climate change to exposure to diverse plant pathogens. These stresses pose risk to agricultural sustainability. To avoid the increasing biotic and abiotic pressure on crop plants, agrochemicals are extensively used in agriculture for attaining desirable yield and production of crops. However, the use of agrochemicals is also challenging the integrity of ecosystems. Thus, to maintain the integrity of ecosystem, sustainable measures for elevated crop production are required. Allelopathy, a process of chemical interactions between plants and other organisms, could be used in the management of several biotic and abiotic stresses if the basic mechanisms of the phenomena and plants with allelopathic potentials are known. Allelopathy has a promising future for its application in agriculture for natural weed management, improving soil health and suppressing plant diseases. The aim of this review is to discuss the importance of allelopathy in agriculture and its role in sustainability with a specific focus on weed management and crop protection.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1205
Author(s):  
Luigi Formisano ◽  
Begoña Miras-Moreno ◽  
Michele Ciriello ◽  
Christophe El-Nakhel ◽  
Giandomenico Corrado ◽  
...  

Plant biostimulants are “green” solutions to improve crop production. Trichoderma spp. and phosphites, ordinarily used as biocontrol agents, can trigger phytostimulation, also promoting endogenous mechanisms involved in plant growth and development. The present study aimed at assessing the efficacy of a phosphite-based formulation (Phosphit-One) and Trichoderma harzianum-T22 on the morpho-physiological response and modulation of the metabolomics profile in zucchini squash plants (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in controlled growth conditions (Fitotron®). The highest values of fresh biomass production (390.9 g plant−1) and root dry weight (5.6 g plant−1) were obtained for Trichoderma-treated plants. This last treatment resulted in an improved physiological performance (SPAD index, CO2 assimilation rate, and Fv/Fm ratio) measured 30 days after transplanting. Both Trichoderma and phosphite treatments induced a broad metabolic reprogramming in leaves, evident also for the phosphite treatment that did not result in a growth promotion. The microbial and the non-microbial treatments showed distinctive signatures in secondary metabolism yet, common responses could be also highlighted. For instance, both Trichoderma and phosphite triggered ROS-mediated signaling processes, together with the accumulation of phenylpropanoids, glucosinolates, and phytoalexins. Furthermore, a significant alteration of phytohormones was observed, with terpenoid gibberellins and brassinosteroids showing the largest differences. The metabolomic signatures induced by Trichoderma and phosphite in zucchini squash provided molecular insights into the processes underlying elicitation of plant defense due to biostimulation. Interestingly, the modulation of plant secondary metabolism by both treatments did not impair plant growth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-150
Author(s):  
Sujata Kumari ◽  
◽  
Narender K. Bharat ◽  
Ashok K. Thakur ◽  
◽  
...  

The bioagents like Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Biocontrol Agents (BCAs) play a crucial role in plant growth promotion, nutrient uptake and suppression of biotic and abiotic stresses. Different researchers have applied these bioagents by various means either through seed treatment or through soil application to prevent various plant diseases. Thus, these non-chemical environment friendly tools can be exploited to enhance crop production.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 210
Author(s):  
Dhruv Aditya Srivastava ◽  
Raviv Harris ◽  
Gilli Breuer ◽  
Maggie Levy

Plant pathogens challenge our efforts to maximize crop production due to their ability to rapidly develop resistance to pesticides. Fungal biocontrol agents have become an important alternative to chemical fungicides, due to environmental concerns related to the latter. Here we review the complex modes of action of biocontrol agents in general and epiphytic yeasts belonging to the genus Pseudozyma specifically and P. aphidis in particular. Biocontrol agents act through multiple direct and indirect mechanisms, which are mainly based on their secretions. We discuss the direct modes of action, such as antibiosis, reactive oxygen species-producing, and cell wall-degrading enzyme secretions which can also play a role in mycoparasitism. In addition, we discuss indirect modes of action, such as hyperbiotrophy, induced resistance and growth promotion based on the secretion of effectors and elicitors from the biocontrol agent. Due to their unique characteristics, epiphytic yeasts hold great potential for use as biocontrol agents, which may be more environmentally friendly than conventional pesticides and provide a way to reduce our dependency on fungicides based on increasingly expensive fossil fuels. No less important, the complex mode of action of Pseudozyma-based biocontrol agents can also reduce the frequency of resistance developed by pathogens to these agents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.E.A. Bendaha ◽  
H.A. Belaouni

SummaryThis study aims to develop a biocontrol agent against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL) in tomato. For this, a set of 23 bacterial endophytic isolates has been screened for their ability to inhibit in vitro the growth of FORL using the dual plate assay. Three isolates with the most sound antagonistic activity to FORL have been qualitatively screened for siderophore production, phosphates solubilization and indolic acetic acid (IAA) synthesis as growth promotion traits. Antagonistic values of the three candidates against FORL were respectively: 51.51 % (EB4B), 51.18 % (EB22K) and 41.40 % (EB2A). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates EB4B and EB22K were closely related to Enterobacter ludwigii EN-119, while the strain EB2A has been assigned to Leclercia adecarboxylata NBRC 102595. The promotion of tomato growth has been assessed in vitro using the strains EB2A, EB4B and EB22K in presence of the phytopathogen FORL. The treatments with the selected isolates increased significantly the root length and dry weight. Best results were observed in isolate EB4B in terms of growth promotion in the absence of FORL, improving 326.60 % of the root length and 142.70 % of plant dry weight if compared with untreated controls. In the presence of FORL, the strain EB4B improved both root length (180.81 %) and plant dry weight (202.15 %). These results encourage further characterization of the observed beneficial effect of Enterobacter sp. EB4B for a possible use as biofertilizer and biocontrol agent against FORL.


Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Michele Sellitto ◽  
Severino Zara ◽  
Fabio Fracchetti ◽  
Vittorio Capozzi ◽  
Tiziana Nardi

From a ‘farm to fork’ perspective, there are several phases in the production chain of fruits and vegetables in which undesired microbial contaminations can attack foodstuff. In managing these diseases, harvest is a crucial point for shifting the intervention criteria. While in preharvest, pest management consists of tailored agricultural practices, in postharvest, the contaminations are treated using specific (bio)technological approaches (physical, chemical, biological). Some issues connect the ‘pre’ and ‘post’, aligning some problems and possible solution. The colonisation of undesired microorganisms in preharvest can affect the postharvest quality, influencing crop production, yield and storage. Postharvest practices can ‘amplify’ the contamination, favouring microbial spread and provoking injures of the product, which can sustain microbial growth. In this context, microbial biocontrol is a biological strategy receiving increasing interest as sustainable innovation. Microbial-based biotools can find application both to control plant diseases and to reduce contaminations on the product, and therefore, can be considered biocontrol solutions in preharvest or in postharvest. Numerous microbial antagonists (fungi, yeasts and bacteria) can be used in the field and during storage, as reported by laboratory and industrial-scale studies. This review aims to examine the main microbial-based tools potentially representing sustainable bioprotective biotechnologies, focusing on the biotools that overtake the boundaries between pre- and postharvest applications protecting quality against microbial decay.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 697
Author(s):  
Juan Mao ◽  
Wenxin Li ◽  
Jing Liu ◽  
Jianming Li

The plant glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinases are highly conserved protein serine/threonine kinases that are grouped into four subfamilies. Similar to their mammalian homologs, these kinases are constitutively active under normal growth conditions but become inactivated in response to diverse developmental and environmental signals. Since their initial discoveries in the early 1990s, many biochemical and genetic studies were performed to investigate their physiological functions in various plant species. These studies have demonstrated that the plant GSK3-like kinases are multifunctional kinases involved not only in a wide variety of plant growth and developmental processes but also in diverse plant stress responses. Here we summarize our current understanding of the versatile physiological functions of the plant GSK3-like kinases along with their confirmed and potential substrates.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2282
Author(s):  
Masudulla Khan ◽  
Azhar U. Khan ◽  
Mohd Abul Hasan ◽  
Krishna Kumar Yadav ◽  
Marina M. C. Pinto ◽  
...  

In the present era, the global need for food is increasing rapidly; nanomaterials are a useful tool for improving crop production and yield. The application of nanomaterials can improve plant growth parameters. Biotic stress is induced by many microbes in crops and causes disease and high yield loss. Every year, approximately 20–40% of crop yield is lost due to plant diseases caused by various pests and pathogens. Current plant disease or biotic stress management mainly relies on toxic fungicides and pesticides that are potentially harmful to the environment. Nanotechnology emerged as an alternative for the sustainable and eco-friendly management of biotic stress induced by pests and pathogens on crops. In this review article, we assess the role and impact of different nanoparticles in plant disease management, and this review explores the direction in which nanoparticles can be utilized for improving plant growth and crop yield.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 454
Author(s):  
Robinson H. Mdegela ◽  
Elibariki R. Mwakapeje ◽  
Bachana Rubegwa ◽  
Daniel T. Gebeyehu ◽  
Solange Niyigena ◽  
...  

All infections are potentially curable as long as the etiological agents are susceptible to antimicrobials. The increased rate at which antimicrobials are becoming ineffective is a global health risk of increasing concern that threatens withdrawal of beneficial antimicrobials for disease control. The increased demand for food of animal origin, in particular eggs, meat and milk has led to intensification and commercial production systems where excessive use and misuse of antimicrobials may prevail. Antimicrobials, handled and used by farmers and animal attendants with no formal education, may be predisposed to incorrect dosages, misuse, incorrect applications and non-adherence to withdrawal periods. This study was conducted to assess the regulatory roles and governance of antimicrobials, establish the pattern and extent of their use, evaluate the antimicrobial residues and resistance in the food animals and crop agriculture value chains, and relate these findings to existing strategies in place for combating the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Tanzania. A multimethod approach (desk review, field study and interviews) was used. Relevant establishments were also visited. High levels of resistance to penicillin G, chloramphenicol, streptomycin and oxytetracycline have been reported, especially for Actinobacter pyogenes, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus aureus from dairy cattle with mastitis and in humans. Similar trends were found in poultry where eggs and meat are contaminated with Escherichia coli strains resistant to amoxicillin + clavulanate, sulphamethoxazole and neomycin. An increasing trend of emerging multidrug resistant E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella was also found in food animals. An increase in methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in the livestock sector in Tanzania have been reported. The pathogens isolated in animals were resistant to ampicillin, augmentin, gentamicin, co-trimoxazole, tetracycline, amoxicillin, streptomycin, nalidixic acid, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, tylosin, erythromycin, cefuroxime, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. An increased usage of antimicrobials for prophylaxis, and therapeutics against pathogens and for growth promotion in livestock, aquaculture and crop production were observed. A One Health strategic approach is advocated to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food and agriculture sectors in Tanzania. Practical recommendations include (a) legislation review and implementation; (b) antimicrobial use (AMU), AMR and antimicrobial residue (AR) awareness and advocacy among stakeholders along the value chain; (c) strengthening of surveillance and monitoring programs for AMU, AMR and AR; (d) enhanced development and use of rapid and innovative diagnostic tests and the promotion of biosecurity principles; and (e) good husbandry practices. The utilization of this information to improve public health policies and reduce the burden of AMR will be beneficial.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Mapelli ◽  
Ramona Marasco ◽  
Eleonora Rolli ◽  
Marta Barbato ◽  
Hanene Cherif ◽  
...  

Soil salinity and drought are among the environmental stresses that most severely affect plant growth and production around the world. In this study the rhizospheres ofSalicorniaplants and bulk soils were collected fromSebkhetandChotthypersaline ecosystems in Tunisia. Depiction of bacterial microbiome composition by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis unveiled the occurrence of a high bacterial diversity associated withSalicorniaroot system. A large collection of 475 halophilic and halotolerant bacteria was established fromSalicorniarhizosphere and the surrounding bulk soil, and the bacteria were characterized for the resistance to temperature, osmotic and saline stresses, and plant growth promotion (PGP) features. TwentyHalomonasstrains showed resistance to a wide set of abiotic stresses and were able to perform different PGP activitiesin vitroat 5% NaCl, including ammonia and indole-3-acetic acid production, phosphate solubilisation, and potential nitrogen fixation. By using agfp-labelled strain it was possible to demonstrate thatHalomonasis capable of successfully colonisingSalicorniaroots in the laboratory conditions. Our results indicated that the culturable halophilic/halotolerant bacteria inhabiting salty and arid ecosystems have a potential to contribute to promoting plant growth under the harsh salinity and drought conditions. These halophilic/halotolerant strains could be exploited in biofertilizer formulates to sustain crop production in degraded and arid lands.


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