Study of Trichoderma as a Potential bio contr...

Study of Trichoderma as a Potential bio control agent, mechanism of its action and role in Management of diseases in Solanace crops

Author Name : Amit Punia, Mudamala Syam Kishore Reddy

Abstract

Biocontrol is considered to be one of the effective methods to control of plant diseases as compared to other chemical methods. A large number of agricultural losses are caused around the globe by fungal pathogens. Chemical methods are not effective against inhibition of plant pathogens due to number of reasons including their cost and environmentally hazardous nature. So, there is a need to manage diseases through biocontrol agents which are less expensive and environment friendly as well as efficient for plant disease management. Biocontrol formulations are available in the market with greater stability and very high degree of survival. Biocontrol involves a number of mechanisms for plant disease management including hyper parasitism, competition for nutrients and space as well as inducing systemic resistance in many plants. In this scenario, Trichoderma is one of the well-known fungi that is ubiquitous in nature which has been isolated from decayed wood, different types of soil as well as different forms of organic matter found in plants. Trichoderma belongs to the class fungi imperfection. Various strains of Trichoderma are commercially available and declared as biocontrol for suppression of plant pathogens when applied on seed, foliar and as a soil spray. It reduces diseases in various crops mainly maize, tomato and rice. The isolates of Trichoderma are found to control the growth of myceila in different fungal pathogens including Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani and Phytopthora infestans. Trichoderma have been involved to alter the responses against various stresses including drought stress by morphological, physiological and biochemical modifications. 

Key words: biocontrol agents, plant diseases, Trichoderma, fungi, plant pathogens.