Several Trichoderma spp. are well known for their ability to: (i) act as important biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi; (ii) function as biofertilizers; (iii) increase the tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses; and (iv) induce plant defense responses via the production and secretion of elicitor molecules. In this study, we analyzed the gene-regulation effects of Trichod...

BACKGROUND Basal stem rot (BSR) disease caused by the fungus Ganoderma boninense is the most serious disease affecting the oil palm; this is because the disease escapes the early disease detection. The biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum can protect the disease only at the early stage of the disease. In the present study, the expression levels of three oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) chit...

The present research deals with the effect of postharvest treatment of grape berries with four commonly used fungicides and two forms of Trichoderma harzianum on the infection with soft-rot fungiRhizopus stolonifer and Mucor piriformis. This effect was evaluated by comparison of the external diameter of rot-lesion in treated and untreated berries, in addition to comparison of percent reduction ...

The presence of phorbol esters (PEs) with toxic properties limits the use of Jatropha curcas kernel in the animal feed industry. Therefore, suitable methods to detoxify PEs have to be developed to render the material safe as a feed ingredient. In the present study, the biological treatment of the extracted PEs-rich fraction with non-pathogenic fungi (Trichoderma harzianum JQ350879.1, T. harzian...

A new semi-selective medium, acidified weak potato-dextrose agar (AWPDA) with Mertect (active ingredient: thiabendazole), was developed for the isolation and enumeration of Alternaria species from samples of soil and plant debris. The medium was selected based on growth inhibition tests against Alternaria and several other commonly encountered saprobic fungi utilizing three antifungal agents, B...

alpha-1,3-Glucanases (mutanases) are currently of great interest due to their potential use in the field of dental care. These enzymes have been reported in several bacteria, yeasts and fungi, but up to now, characterization of this family of proteins has been relatively poor. In this study, we identify and characterize a mutanase gene from Trichoderma harzianum CCM F-340. Sequence analysis, on...

Trichothecenes are fungal sesquiterpenoid compounds, the majority of which have phytotoxic activity. They contaminate food and feed stocks, resulting in potential harm to animals and human beings. Trichoderma brevicompactum and T. arundinaceum produce trichodermin and harzianum A (HA), respectively, two trichothecenes that show different bioactive properties. Both compounds have remarkable anti...

Trichoderma harzianum IOC-3844 secretes high levels of cellulolytic-active enzymes and is therefore a promising strain for use in biotechnological applications in second-generation bioethanol production. However, the T. harzianum biomass degradation mechanism has not been well explored at the genetic level. The present work investigates six genomic regions (~150 kbp each) in this fungus that ar...

Fusarium head blight is one of the most severe diseases of small grain cereals and is caused by several toxigenic Fusarium species. Yield losses and mycotoxin accumulation in grain are caused by the disease. F. sporotrichioides and F. poae produce type A trichothecenes. Saprophyte fungal antagonists, especially Trichoderma harzianum, are effective biocontrol agents against several fungal soil-b...

Studies were undertaken to determine the comparative efficacy of native biocontrol agents viz., Pseudomonas fluorescens isolate PS-4, Trichoderma harzianum isolate TH-H-3 and T. virens isolate TV-K-3 @ 5X10 cfu/g talc; organic amendments viz., neem seed powder @ 250 mg/kg soil and farmyard manure @ 8 1500 mg/kg soil; carbofuran @ 33.4 mg/kg soil, topsin-M @ 1.4 mg/kg soil and bavistin @ 2.0 mg/...