When the mycoparasitic, biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum was allowed to grow on nylon fibers treated with concanavalin A or Sclerotium rolfsii lectin, it coiled around the nylon fibers and produced hooks in a pattern similar to that observed with the real host hyphae. The incidence of interaction between T. harzianum and S. rolfsii lectin-treated fibers was significantly higher than that...

The worldwide commercial production of the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus is currently threatened by massive attacks of green mold disease. Using an integrated approach to species recognition comprising analyses of morphological and physiological characters and application of the genealogical concordance of multiple phylogenetic markers (internal transcribed spacer 1 [ITS1] and ITS2 sequen...

The in vitro biocontrol ability of Trichoderma harzianum on the phytopathogen Alternaria alternata improved in the presence of the growth regulators gibberellic acid (GA3), or indolacetic acid (IAA) or benzylaminopurine (BAP) or foliar nutrient at concentrations similar or higher than those used at the field level. These plant hormones decreased the secretion of endopolygalacturonase (endo-PG) ...

Although a wide application of pesticides and herbicides are an essential part of augmenting crop yields, excessive use of these chemicals leads to the microbial imbalance of soil, environmental pollution and health hazards to human and animals. An ideal pesticide should have the ability to destroy target pests quickly and should get degrade the toxic and nontoxic substances as quickly as possi...

Trichoderma species isolated from water-damaged buildings were screened for toxicity by using boar sperm cells as indicator cells. The crude methanolic cell extract from Trichoderma harzianum strain ES39 inhibited the boar sperm cell motility at a low exposure concentration (50% effective concentration, 1 to 5 microg [dry weight] ml of extended boar semen(-1)). The same exposure concentration d...

Exposing a wild-type culture of Trichoderma harzianum to gamma irradiation induced two stable salt-tolerant mutants (Th50M6 and Th50M11). Under saline conditions, both mutants greatly surpassed their wild type strain in growth rate, sporulation and biological proficiency against Fusarium oxysporum, the causal agent of tomato wilt disease. Tolerant T. harzianum mutants detained a capability to g...

An isolate of Trichoderma harzianum Rifai from an infected cacao pod produces and secretes nonanoic (pelargonic) acid into a liquid culture medium. Nonanoic acid (NA) was very inhibitory to spore germination and mycelial growth of two cacao pathogens, Crinipellis perniciosa Stahel and Moniliophthora roreri Cif. H.C. Evans. It was highly active causing 75% inhibition of spore germination in an i...

The objectives of this study were to investigate whether seed biopriming through drought tolerant isolates of Trichoderma harzianum induces drought tolerance in wheat. Physiological and biochemical parameters were also monitored under greenhouse conditions to explore the mechanism underlying plant water stress resilience in response to Trichoderma inoculation.The impact of bioprospecting Tricho...

Impacts of metals to the growth and enzyme production of fungi were tested with Cd(0-10 mg kg–1), Co(0-100 mg kg–1), Cr(0-100 mg kg–1), Li(0-100 mg kg–1) or Mn(0-400 mg kg–1) containing media with ABTS [2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbentzthiazoline6-sulfonicacid)] as indicator of oxidative enzymes, laccase and/ or peroxidases. All ascomycetes Alternaria sp., Chaetomium sp., Epicoccum sp., Fusarium sp....

Two isolates of Trichoderma, which reduce the incidence of witches’broom disease caused in cocoa by Crinipellis perniciosa, were evaluated for their potential to produce hydrolases in liquid medium. Very low or no hydrolytic activity was produced in the absence of any substrate. The activities of chitinase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, β-1,3-glucanase, total cellulase, endoglucanase, arylβ-glucosid...