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Beyond Classical Biocontrol: New Perspectives on Trichoderma

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Fungal Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Part of the book series: Fungal Biology ((FUNGBIO))

Abstract

The genus Trichoderma encompasses many species and strains that have fungicidal and plant growth-promoting properties; thus, this common soil fungus is of great importance in sustainable and environmentally benign agricultural practices. The presence of Trichoderma in the rhizosphere can selectively increase the biosynthesis of many plant secondary metabolites, including valuable natural products produced by aromatic, spice, and medicinal plants. Moreover, Trichoderma species emit many volatile organic compounds that can impact plants in the absence of physical contact between the fungus and the plant. Some volatiles have fungicidal effects (“Trichofumigation”), while others promote plant growth. In this chapter, we review both the volatile-mediated effects on biocontrol and the more general Trichoderma effects on aromatic, spice, and medicinal plants. To date, however, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in volatile signaling nor of the genetic mechanisms by which Trichoderma turns on plant secondary metabolite pathways.

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Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the funding received from the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) proc. number 88881.129327/2016-01 to the senior author.

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Gomes, E.N., Elsherbiny, E.A., Aleem, B., Bennett, J.W. (2020). Beyond Classical Biocontrol: New Perspectives on Trichoderma. In: Hesham, AL., Upadhyay, R., Sharma, G., Manoharachary, C., Gupta, V. (eds) Fungal Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Fungal Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41870-0_19

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