Chapter 12 - Changes in Perceptions Derived From Research on Trichoderma Species

Abstract

The inappropriate and indiscriminate uses of fungicides and antibiotics have led to serious environmental threats to human life, especially in vegetables, spices, fruits, and other cash crops, because growers are using a large quantity of fungicides and antibiotics for the control of various diseases ignoring the persistency of these chemicals. There is considerable interest in manipulating the soil microbial community to achieve the biological control of soilborne plant pathogens. Biological control is one of the key components of integrated pest management that envisage the conservation and augmentation of naturally occurring bioagents such as parasitoids, predators, entomopathogens, and antagonistic fungi and bacteria. Biofungicides include, in a broader sense, fungicides of biological origin, i.e., botanical and microbial. Members of the fungal genus Trichoderma spp. have been extensively studied particularly due to their ability to act as biocontrol agents and their antagonistic activity against soilborne plant pathogens. Trichoderma-formulated biopesticide acts effectively against gray mold caused by Phytopthora, Fusarium, and damping off by Pythium; bacterial wilt; and blight and leaf spot caused by Cercospora, Colletotrichum, Allernaria, Ascochyta, Macrophomina, and Myrothecium. Recent studies have shown that they are opportunistic, avirulent plant symbionts, as well as parasites of other fungi. The use of microbial fungicides as one of the major components of integrated pest management is gaining acceptance, as these are generally specific and apparently harmless to the beneficial insects, animals, and human beings with no residue problems and environmental hazards.