Tolerance to and Alleviation of Abiotic Stresses in Plants Mediated by Trichoderma spp.

Abstract

AbstractThe fungal genus Trichoderma bears species with several beneficial effects to plants, such as the ability to inhibit plant pathogens, induction of plant defense mechanisms, and improvement of plant growth. These fungi are active ingredients of a variety of commercially available biological products. To survey and understand the magnitude of the potential of Trichoderma spp. to reduce negative effects of abiotic stresses in plants, the literature was revised in a systematic way. The characteristics we observed were Trichoderma species and isolates, plants used as experimental models, types of abiotic stresses addressed, response variables of the Trichoderma-plant interaction, and which genes are possibly involved in the interactive mechanisms with Trichoderma that ameliorate abiotic stresses in plants. The complex T. harzianum was the group most commonly represented in studies with abiotic stresses in plants, whereas maize, Arabidopsis, rice, and tomato were the plant species most studied. Salt, drought, and heavy metals were the stress agents most frequently investigated. As a direct consequence of the studied stresses, a recurrent mechanism of action found for Trichoderma spp. was the production and accumulation of proline. The plant genes identified as related to the interaction plant-Trichoderma under abiotic stress were of four main classes: transcription factors, genes involved in metabolic pathways (including the ones related to oxidative stresses), genes required for signaling, and some related to the synthesis of protective compounds. The current knowledge in the interaction plant-Trichoderma as a way to ameliorate abiotic stresses in plants indicates a clear perspective of using such strategy as a promising alternative for development of crop production in sustainable agriculture.KeywordsAbiotic stresses in plantsSalt stress, Drought stressOxidative stressHeavy metals stress T. harzianum T. reesei T. asperellum T. stromaticum T. longibrachiatum