Biological Control of Fungal Plant Diseases with Trichoderma

Abstract

Chemical pectisides used in agricultural cause both environmental pollution and pectiside residues. So there is a necessity of alternative methods in the struggle against plant diseases. Biological control has been developed as an alternative to chemical control and used increasingly in recent years. Trichoderma is known as the most widely used antagonists in biological control and has almost all the land and natural habitats in nature especially in areas containing organic substance. The advantages for the associated plant include the suppression of pathogens by using a variety of mechanisms (i.e., antibiosis, parasitism, competition for nutrients, etc.), the promotion of plant growth and the improvement of host resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, scientists have made most research on this topic and developed many commercial products to be applied against plant pathogens. In this article, It is highlighted the importance of Trichoderma against plant diseases and how to use mechanisms of action. Also some scientific article reviewed both in Turkey and in the World and given some example related to this topic.

Keywords

• Biological control
• plant pathogens
• Trichoderma spp.