Potential of Trichoderma species as biofertilizer and biological control on Oryza sativa L. cultivation

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the main staples around the world, especially in Asia, the most consuming region. Rice cultivation currently faces many environmental problems caused by the contribution of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This review is carried out to document the principal findings of Trichoderma species application on rice plants. The analysis revealed that different species of Trichoderma have been applied in different fields of research on rice plants to increase the absorption of nutrients, soil fertility, tolerance to salinity, plant growth promotion and development with increased yields. Mechanisms include decomposition, mycoparasitism, cellulose degradation, and phosphate solubilizing activity. The potential for antagonistic activity against disease-causing fungi and inhibition of growth of harmful root microflora is demonstrated. This work also suggested that Trichoderma can be applied alone or together with other microorganisms to significantly promote the growth and performance of rice plants. Among the species, T. harzianum was studied mainly to determine its different roles in rice, followed by T. asperellum, T. viride, T. virens and T. atroviride. Therefore, the findings revealed the potential of the Trichoderma species as a possible biofertilizer and biological control for rice cultivation worldwide.

Keywords

• rice
• biocontrol agent
• growth parameters and yield