Chapter 9 - Secondary metabolites of Trichoderma and their bioprospectives in plant microbiome

Abstract

Trichoderma spp. are ubiquitously present in soil and plant microbiome that have been widely studied due to their antagonistic activity against plant pathogens, ability to produce secondary metabolites, and plant growth promotion. These fungi produce a wide range of secondary metabolites including indolic-derived compounds, non-ribosomal peptides, terpenoids, and pyrones. In the rhizospheric microbiome, the interaction between Trichoderma and plants is mediated by the exchange of signaling molecules that significantly modulate the physiological and biochemical functions of Trichoderma and plants. Furthermore, Trichoderma recognized the plant-secreting molecule and enhanced colonization with plant roots, and improve plant nutrient uptake. This chapter elucidates information about a wide range of secondary metabolites produced by Trichoderma and its deleterious effect to suppress crop microbiome pathogenic microorganism, Plant-Trichoderma interaction, and plant growth promotion. The responsible genes and their bio-perspective provided additional information for sustainable agriculture.