Mechanisms of action and biocontrol potential of Trichoderma against Fusarium in horticultural crops

Abstract

Agriculture, including horticulture, can support and provide food for the global population, meeting both nutritional and economic needs. However, plant diseases induced by phytopathogens result in enormous losses in horticultural crop production through decreasing yields and the quality of crops. Notably, fungal phytopathogens are responsible for over 40% of these diseases. Among them, Fusarium represents a significant group of pathogenic fungi that inflict damage and reduce crop yields, thereby contributing to declines in food supplies. Conventional approaches to addressing these issues involve methods such as intercropping, crop rotation, soil solarization, and the use of synthetic fungicides. However, these methods may cause environmental problems, increase disease resistance, and result in the emergence of new pathogens with elevated resistance levels. Furthermore, the use of gene editing technology to prevent Fusarium diseases faces regulatory approval challenges and health risks. Biological control is recognized as an efficient strategy for managing a wide array of plant diseases by employing bacteria and fungi as agents to combat phytopathogens. Trichoderma is a widely recognized fungal genus employed as a biological control agent, with the potential to be a commercial biological control agent to suppress the growth of Fusarium. This article explores Trichoderma’s role in managing Fusarium-related diseases in horticultural crops, highlighting its potential as a biocontrol agent and the challenges in scaling up its utilization.

Keywords

• Biocontrol
• food security
• Fusarium
• horticultural crops
• Trichoderma
• Microbiology