Fungus Trichoderma Research Articles

Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Activity of Koninginins Isolated from the Mangrove-Derived Endophytic Fungus Trichoderma sp.

The search for bioactive compounds for the treatment of several diseases has led to the study of endophytic fungi. Neoplastic diseases are among the most significant health concerns due to their high mortality rate, and there is a dearth of efficacious pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of cancer. Gastric cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and is among those with the highest mortality rates in Brazil. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to identify compounds with cytotoxic activity from the mangrove-derived endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. Isolation of the chemical compounds was conducted using chromatographic methods, while structural elucidation was achieved through the application of spectroscopic (NMR and UV) and spectrometric (MS) techniques. The fungus Trichoderma sp. was found to produce five distinct koninginins (A, B, C, E, and J). The organic phases of the extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials, respectively, through microdilution testing and the MTT method. In the cytotoxicity assay, both the AF extract and koninginin A demonstrated favorable outcomes, indicating their potential as promising anticancer therapeutic agents.

Microfluidic platform for microbial spore germination studies in multiple growth conditions

BackgroundSpores are highly resistant dormant cells, adapted for survival and dispersal, that can withstand unfavourable environmental conditions for extended periods of time and later reactivate. Understanding the germination process of microbial spores is important in numerous areas including agriculture, food safety and health, and other sectors of biotechnology. Microfluidics combined with high-resolution microscopy allows to study spore germination at the single-cell level, revealing behaviours that would be hidden in standard population-level studies.MethodsHere, we present a microfluidic platform – the so-called four-conditions microfluidic chemostat (4CMC) – for germination studies where spores are confined to monolayers inside microchambers, allowing the testing of four growth conditions in parallel. This platform can be used with multiple species, including non-model organisms, and is compatible with existing image analysis software.ResultsIn this study, we focused on three soil dwellers, two bacteria and one fungus, and revealed new insights into their germination. We studied endospores of the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis and demonstrated a correlation between spore density and germination in rich media. We then investigated the germination of the obligate-oxalotrophic environmental bacterium Ammoniphilus oxalaticus in a concentration gradient of potassium oxalate, showing that lower concentrations result in more spores germinating compared to higher concentrations. We also used this microfluidic platform to study the soil beneficial filamentous fungus Trichoderma rossicum, showing for the first time that the size of the spores and hyphae increase in response to increased nutrient availability, while germination times remain the same.DiscussionOur platform allows to better understand microbial behaviour at the single-cell level, under a variety of controlled conditions. While we used it to decipher the responsiveness of soil dwellers’ spores, it would also be suitable for other spores from bacteria or filamentous fungi, but also vegetative cells and yeast, and even microbial communities.

Effect of Neem Leaf Powder Supplementation in Casing Mixture on the Growth and Yield Parameters of white Button Mushroom [Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach

Green mould caused by Trichoderma harzianum is a severe threat of white button mushroom [Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach] cultivation causing heavy crop losses. The present experiment was conducted to manage the green mould fungus Trichoderma harzianum using neem leaf extracts. In vitro, results showed maximum mycelial growth inhibition of 64.59 % in T. harzianum using neem leaf extract at 4.5% concentration. Neem leaf extracts at 4.5% concentration showed maximum efficacy against pathogens. Further, an In vivo experiment was conducted to evaluate neem leaf powder at different concentrations @0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 3.5% and 4.5% supplemented in the casing mixture combination viz., Farm yard manure (FYM) + Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1:1) to monitor the growth and yield aspects of white button mushroom. Among all treatments used in the study, the results revealed that minimum average time taken for completion of spawn run (15.14 days) and pinhead initiation (18.28 days) as well as maximum number of fruiting bodies (14.71), fruiting bodies weight (22.54g), stalk length (2.81 cm) stalk diameter (1.85 cm) and pileus diameter (5.64 cm), and were recorded in T2 [FYM + Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1:1) + neem leaf powder @ 1.5%]. Results have shown that T2 [FYM + Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1:1) + neem leaf powder @ 1.5%] had the highest yield (470.09 g) and biological efficiency (27.11%).

Sonic restoration: acoustic stimulation enhances plant growth-promoting fungi activity.

Ecosystem restoration interventions often utilize visible elements to restore an ecosystem (e.g. replanting native plant communities and reintroducing lost species). However, using acoustic stimulation to help restore ecosystems and promote plant growth has received little attention. Our study aimed to assess the effect of acoustic stimulation on the growth rate and sporulation of the plant growth-promoting fungus Trichoderma harzianum Rifai, 1969. We played a monotone acoustic stimulus (80 dB sound pressure level (SPL) at a peak frequency of 8 kHz and a bandwidth at -10 dB from the peak of 6819 Hz-parameters determined via review and pilot research) over 5 days to T. harzianum to assess whether acoustic stimulation affected the growth rate and sporulation of this fungus (control samples received only ambient sound stimulation less than 30 dB). We show that the acoustic stimulation treatments resulted in increased fungal biomass and enhanced T. harzianum conidia (spore) activity compared to controls. These results indicate that acoustic stimulation influences plant growth-promoting fungal growth and potentially facilitates their functioning (e.g. stimulating sporulation). The mechanism responsible for this phenomenon may be fungal mechanoreceptor stimulation and/or potentially a piezoelectric effect; however, further research is required to confirm this hypothesis. Our novel study highlights the potential of acoustic stimulation to alter important fungal attributes, which could, with further development, be harnessed to aid ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture.

Performance assessment and characterization of the biosorption of the azo dye reactive Red 2 on thermally inactivated biomass of Trichoderma reesei

The present study evaluated and characterized the performance in the biosorption of the dye azo Reactive Red 2 (RR2) on thermally sterilized biomass of the fungus Trichoderma reesei. An FTIR analysis of unloaded and loaded biomass with RR2 confirmed the interactions between dye molecules and functional groups on the fungal biomass surface. The decrease in the initial pH of 9 to 3 with an increase in the temperature of 20 to 40 °C improved the biosorption, reaching for RR2 a higher removal efficiency of 76.88% at pH 3 and 40 °C. A pseudo-second-order model explained the biosorption kinetics of RR2 (R2≥0.9869), and the intraparticle diffusion model showed that the biosorption process was initially controlled by diffusion rate and later by biomass surface saturation with the dye molecules. The Langmuir isotherm explained the biosorption equilibrium well (R2 ≥ 0.9241), achieving the maximum biomass biosorption capacity (qmax ) value at 61.72 mg g−1. The dimensionless separation factor values (0.0632 ≤ RL ≤ 0.0973) and the thermodynamic evaluation of the process (ΔG° ≤ −24.09 kJ mol−1, ΔH° ≥ 12.39 kJ mol−1, ΔS° ≥ 0.1265 kJ mol−1 K−1) demonstrate that the biosorption was favorable, reversible, spontaneous, and endothermic. The findings in the present study allow it to consider the biomass of Trichoderma reesei thermally sterilized as a biosorbent biomaterial that can be used for bioprocess design in removing the azo reactive dyes from textile wastewater.

Potato and dairy industry side streams as feedstock for fungal and plant cell cultures

Utilization of industrial side streams as nutrient source for cellular agriculture is a promising option to improve the sustainability of the production processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate usability of two liquid food industry side streams, potato cell fluid and acid whey, as nutrient source for production of food ingredients with plant cell cultures (arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus L.) and tobacco BY-2 (Nicotiana tabacum L.)) and filamentous fungi (Paecilomyces variotii, Rhizopus oligosporus and Trichoderma reesei). The side streams were found to contain various sugars and other potential nutrients suitable for the studied organisms. The side streams were used as a sole nutrient source (fungi) or as a replacement of selected nutrients in the growth media (fungi and plant cells) in flask scale cultivations. Acid whey was successfully used as a growth medium for filamentous fungi, but it inhibited plant cell growth presumably due to high organic acid content (14 g/l). Potato side stream was found suitable as a fungal and plant cell growth media supplement, and it was used together with glucose for filamentous fungi, or as a partial replacer of macronutrients for plant cells, in bioreactor cultivations yielding high fungal (up to 36 g/l dry weight) and good plant cell (9.5 g/l dry weight) biomass production. Analyses of the produced biomasses revealed good nutritional value in terms of amino acid (17–27 % of dry matter) and dietary fiber (23–30 % of dry matter) contents, giving good premises for utilization in human nutrition.

Synergistic Effect of Two Peptaibols from Biocontrol Fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum Strain 40418 on CO-Induced Plant Resistance.

Trichoderma longibrachiatum is a filamentous fungus used as a biological control agent against different plant diseases. The multifunctional secondary metabolites synthesized by Trichoderma, called peptaibols, have emerged as key elicitors in plant innate immunity. This study obtained a high-quality genome sequence for the T. longibrachiatum strain 40418 and identified two peptaibol biosynthetic gene clusters using knockout techniques. The two gene cluster products were confirmed as trilongin AIV a (11-residue) and trilongin BI (20-residue) using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Further investigations revealed that these peptaibols induce plant resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato (Pst) DC3000 infection while triggering plant immunity and cell death. Notably, the two peptaibols exhibit synergistic effects in plant-microbe signaling interactions, with trilongin BI having a predominant role. Moreover, the induction of tomato resistance against Meloidogyne incognita showed similarly promising results.

Integration of Transcriptomics and WGCNA to Characterize Trichoderma harzianum-Induced Systemic Resistance in Astragalus mongholicus for Defense against Fusarium solani.

Beneficial fungi of the genus Trichoderma are among the most widespread biocontrol agents that induce a plant's defense response against pathogens. Fusarium solani is one of the main pathogens that can negatively affect Astragalus mongholicus production and quality. To investigate the impact of Trichoderma harzianum on Astragalus mongholicus defense responses to Fusarium solani, A. mongholicus roots under T. harzianum + F. solani (T + F) treatment and F. solani (F) treatment were sampled and subjected to transcriptomic analysis. A differential expression analysis revealed that 6361 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responded to T. harzianum induction. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the 6361 DEGs revealed that the genes significantly clustered into resistance-related pathways, such as the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Pathway analysis revealed that the PR1, formononetin biosynthesis, biochanin A biosynthesis, and CHIB, ROS production, and HSP90 may be upregulated by T. harzianum and play important roles in disease resistance. Our study further revealed that the H2O2 content was significantly increased by T. harzianum induction. Formononetin and biochanin A had the potential to suppress F. solani. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed one module, including 58 DEGs associated with T. harzianum induction. One core hub gene, RPS25, was found to be upregulated by T. harzianum, SA (salicylic acid) and ETH (ethephon). Overall, our data indicate that T. harzianum can induce induced systemic resistance (ISR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in A. mongholicus. The results of this study lay a foundation for a further understanding of the molecular mechanism by which T. harzianum induces resistance in A. mongholicus.

Efficacy of slow sand filtration enriched with Trichoderma atroviride in the control of Rhizoctonia solani in soilless culture

Soilless cultivation is increasingly common, but the nutrient-rich drainage from substrate cultivation is often discarded. However, drainage can be safely reused if previously disinfected. Slow sand filtration (SSF) is a low-cost, ecological, and effective method for water disinfection, primarily through biological control. Enhancing SSF with antagonistic microorganisms is not well-studied. Additionally, SSF has not been tested to control Rhizoctonia solani, a phytopathogen that can be spread by irrigation water. Therefore, the objective of his work was to test the efficacy of a slow sand filter improved through the inoculation of the antagonistic fungus Trichoderma atroviride, evaluating its suppression capacity against Rhizoctonia solani spread by the irrigation water in a closed substrate cultivation of cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Five experiments were conducted, testing the presence and absence of a sand filter, T. atroviride, and R. solani in each trial. Median disease severity was expressed on a scale of 1–5. The improved SSF increased disease control percentage by 49% compared to SSF alone and by 86% compared to no disease control method. In some experiments, SSF with T. atroviride totally controlled R. solani. The results confirm that biologically enhanced SSF with T. atroviride can effectively disinfect drainage in closed soilless cultivation systems infected with R. solani.

Transgressive phenotypes from outbreeding between the Trichoderma reesei hyper producer RutC30 and a natural isolate.

The filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei produces cellulolytic enzymes that are essential for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass into monomerics sugars. The filamentous fungus T. reesei produces cellulolytic enzymes that are essential for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass into monomerics sugars, which can in turn be fermented to produce second-generation biofuels and bioproducts. Production performance improvement, which is essential to reduce production cost, relies on classical mutagenesis and genetic engineering techniques. Although sexual reproduction is a powerful tool for improving domesticated species, it is often difficult to apply to industrial fungi since most of them are considered asexual. In this study, we demonstrated that outbreeding is an efficient strategy to optimize T. reesei. Crossing between a natural isolate and a mutagenized strain generated a biodiverse progeny with some offspring displaying transgressive phenotype for cellulase activities.

Impact of the Biocontrol Product, Esquive® WP, on the Indigenous Grapevine Wood Microbiome after a 6-Year Application Period.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are currently limiting grapevine productivity in many vineyards worldwide. As no chemical treatments are registered to control GTDs, biocontrol agents are being tested against these diseases. Esquive® WP, based on the fungus Trichoderma atroviride I-1237 strain, is the first biocontrol product registered in France to control GTDs. In this study, we determine whether, following grapevine pruning wound treatments with Esquive® WP, changes occurred or not in the indigenous microbial communities that are colonizing grapevine wood. Over a 6-year period, Esquive® WP was applied annually to pruning wounds on three grapevine cultivars located in three different regions. Wood samples were collected at 2 and 10 months after the Esquive® WP treatments. Based on MiSeq high-throughput sequencing analyses, the results showed that specific microbial communities were linked to each 'region/cultivar' pairing. In certain cases, a significant modification of alpha diversity indexes and the relative abundance of some microbial taxa were observed between treated and non-treated grapevines 2 months after Esquive® WP treatment. However, these modifications disappeared over time, i.e., 10 months post-treatment. This result clearly showed that Esquive® WP pruning wood treatment did not induce significant changes in the grapevine wood's microbiome, even after 6 years of recurrent applications on the plants.

Abiotic stress alleviation and contribution to resilient crop growth: A trichodermal perspective

Over the past few decades, the use of different biocontrol agents in agricultural methods has resulted in significant improvements in the safety and nutritional quality of food products. Consequently, there has been an increasing interest in finding effective alternative approaches to reduce abiotic stress pressures that also promote plant growth. Trichoderma harzianum is a biocontrol agent that has attracted scientific attention due to its remarkable capacity to combat various abiotic influences. The multifaceted mechanisms of disease prevention and crop growth acceleration exhibited by the filamentous fungus T. harzianum have rendered it a highly useful biocontrol agent. Trichoderma spp. positively influence several physiological cellular processes in plants, such as photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, gas exchange, nutrient absorption and assimilation, and water expenditure efficiency. Trichoderma species promoted optimal root development and improved the absorption of mineral nutrients from the soil. In summary, the fungus Trichoderma shows significant potential as a biocontrol agent for the sustainable protection of crops and the stimulation of plant growth. The varied mechanisms of Trichoderma species make them indispensable for the management of plant diseases. The utilization of Trichoderma potential is a significant avenue for achieving robust and ecologically sound crop production, particularly in challenging circumstances, as the worldwide agricultural sector strives for substitutes to harmful pesticides and excessive use of fertilizers.

The Contribution of Trichoderma viride and Metallothioneins in Enhancing the Seed Quality of Avena sativa L. in Cd-Contaminated Soil.

Pollution of arable land with heavy metals is a worldwide problem. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal that poses a severe threat to humans' and animals' health and lives. Plants can easily absorb Cd from the soil, and plant-based food is the main means of exposure to this hazardous element for humans and animals. Phytoremediation is a promising plant-based approach to removing heavy metals from the soil, and plant growth-promoting micro-organisms such as the fungi Trichoderma can enhance the ability of plants to accumulate metals. Inoculation of Avena sativa L. (oat) with Trichoderma viride enhances germination and seedling growth in the presence of Cd and, in this study, the growth of 6-month-old oat plants in Cd-contaminated soil was not increased by inoculation with T. viride, but a 1.7-fold increase in yield was observed. The content of Cd in oat shoots depended on the Cd content in the soil. Still, it was unaffected by the inoculation with T. viride. A. sativa metallothioneins (AsMTs) participate in plant-fungi interaction, however, their role in this study depended on MT type and Cd concentration. The inoculation of A. sativa with T. viride could be a promising approach to obtaining a high yield in Cd-contaminated soil without increasing the Cd content in the plant.

Effect of Groundfix and Ecostern biological preparations on soil microbiota under soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivation

In recent years, the system of farming using biologisation elements has become increasingly popular as an effective tool in agricultural production. By introducing agronomically useful microbiota into the soil, whose living cells are part of biological products (including biodestructors and biofertilisers), many valuable processes are triggered: restorative changes in the soil ecosystem by expanding microbial cenosis, improving its phytosanitary condition, protecting future crops of crop rotation from the allopathic effects of predecessors, increasing the availability of nutrients in the soil and improving its structure, as well as increasing yields and improving the quality of agricultural products. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of biological products based on bacteria of the genera: Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Azotobacter, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Agrobacterium and fungi of the genus Trichoderma on the main ecological and trophic groups of soil microorganisms during the cultivation of soybean plants. The study was conducted using laboratory and vegetation methods of research in the conditions of the Institute of Applied Biotechnology LLC. Soybean seeds of Kent variety (SAATBAULINZ, Austria) were treated with biological products produced by BTU: biofertiliser Groundfix® (Bacillus subtilis, B. megaterium var. phosphaticum, Azotobacter chroococcum, Enterobacter sp, cell titer 0.5–1.5·109 CFU/cm3), biodestructor Ecostern® Classic (Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Azotobacter, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Agrobacterium and fungi of the genus Trichoderma — cell titer not less than 2.5– 5.0·109 CFU/cm3) according to the recommended doses. The effectiveness of biological products Groundfix and Ecostern Classic in the formation of ecological and trophic groups of soil rhizosphere microorganisms for the cultivation of soybean plants of Kent variety is highlighted. DSTU 7847:2015 was used to determine soil microorganisms and their associations. The coefficients of soil mineralisation, oligotrophicity and pedotrophicity were calculated by the ratio of the corresponding ecological and trophic groups. It was found that under the action of biological products Ecostern Classic and Groundfix in the rhizosphere of soybean plants, the number of ammonifiers increased by 1.8–2.1 times, oligonitrophilic bacteria (including bacteria of the genus Azotobacter) — by 14.3–33.3%, oligotrophs — by 54–57% compared to the control variant. The number of pedotrophs in soybean plants grown with the addition of Ecostern Classic biological product was 1.6·105 CFU/g soil, which is 1.5 times lower than in the control. The highest values of pedotrophs were determined for the soil in the variant with Kent soybean grown under the influence of the biological product Groundfix, which is 4% higher compared to the control. Under the influence of biological products Ecostern Classic and Groundfix, the number of microorganisms that use mineral forms of nitrogen decreased by 2.3–8 times, respectively, compared to the control. According to the values of the coefficients of oligotrophicity, nitrogen mineralisation and immobilisation, and pedotrophicity, the direction of soil biological processes was characterised. The coefficient of oligotrophicity in the studied soil samples under the influence of biological products was 0.28–0.35, which indicates a high supply of nutrients to the soil microbiome. Soil variants, when growing soybean plants in the presence of biological products, had a lower pedotro­phicity coefficient. Thus, when soybean plants were grown under the influence of the biological product Groundfix (0.54), the value of the pedotrophicity coefficient was 2 times lower compared to the control (1.09), while under the influence of Ecostern (0.4) it was 2.7 times lower compared to the control. This indicates the accumulation of stable organic compounds and humus formation. The soil under the influence of the studied biological products is characterized by a sufficient amount of available nitrogen, high supply of soil microbiome with nutrients, accumulation of stable organic compounds and stable humus formation. The use of biological products Groundfix and Ecostern Classic improves microbial biodiversity and soil microbiota activity during soybean cultivation, increases the number of specific microbial taxa involved in the suppression of phytopathogenic microorganisms in the soil, promotes nutrient cycling and soil structure formation.

Optimization of Biodegradation of Common Bean Biomass for Fermentation Using Trichoderma asperellum WNZ-21 and Artificial Neural Networks

This study showcases a promising approach to sustainably unlocking plant biomass residues by combining biodegradation with artificial intelligence to optimize the process. Specifically, we utilized the definitive screening design (DSD) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to optimize the degradation of common bean biomass by the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum WNZ-21. The optimized process yielded a fungal hydrolysate rich in 12 essential and non-essential amino acids, totaling 18,298.14 μg/g biomass. GC-MS analysis revealed four potential novel components not previously reported in microbial filtrates or plants and seven components exclusive to plant sources but not reported in microbial filtrates. The hydrolysate contained phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin compounds, as confirmed by FT-IR analysis. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy depicted structures resembling amino acid micelles and potential protein aggregates. The hydrolysate exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties and innovatively induced apoptotic modulation in the MCF7 cancer cell line. These findings underscore the potential of ANN-optimized fermentation for various applications, particularly in anticancer medicine due to its unique composition and bioactivities. The integration of the DSD and ANNs presents a novel technique for biomass biodegradation, warranting the valorization of plant biomass and suggesting a further exploration of the new components in the fungal hydrolysate. This approach represents the basic concept for exploring other biomass sources and in vivo studies.

Soil fungal communities associated with chili pepper respond to mineral and organic fertilization and application of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum

Soil fungi are diverse and common in crop systems with important ecological function such as saprotrophs, symbionts, and pathogens, all of which are key components for soil fertility and health. Agricultural practices including tillage, crop rotation, fertilization and pest management with pesticides and microbial biocontrol agents are known to affect the abundance and composition of soil fungi, but these factors are seldom integrated and studied in combination. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of mineral and organic (compost) fertilization, and soil inoculation with the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum individually and in combination on the resident soil fungal communities and plant performance in a greenhouse pot experiment with chili pepper grown in a disease-infested agricultural soil. Soil fungal communities were studied using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and taxonomic assignment using the UNITE database in terms of amplicon sequence variants (ASV). Main results showed that the combination of compost and T. harzianum inoculation completely controlled chili pepper wilt, which coincided with alterations in soil fungal diversity. The root pathogen Fusarium equiseti was the most abundant fungus (in relative terms) in all treatments and the ASV Trichoderma sp. was only found in the treatments in which T. harzianum had been applied. Soil application with T. harzianum at sowing also reduced chili pepper damping-off in non-sterile disease-infested soil, which coincided with a reduction of the relative abundance of F. equiseti. However, several other known Fusarium spp. pathogens were present in the natural disease infested agricultural soil and could also have been involved in the chili pepper wilt observed. In conclusion, our results show promising biocontrol traits of T. harzianum against chili pepper damping off and wilt most likely caused by Fusarium spp. The observed alterations in soil fungal diversity with T. harzianum and compost were probably involved in the reduction of chili pepper wilt but needs to be further studied.

GROWTH PROMOTION OF RADISH MICROGREENS WITH Trichoderma harzianum INOCULATION

The fungus Trichoderma harzianum is a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for use in agriculture. Its application stimulates the growth of radish microgreens, a short-cycle crop, standing out as an agricultural practice that meets the growing demand for healthier crops. This study aimed to evaluate the use of Trichoderma harzianum on the growth and quality of radish microgreens. The research was conducted in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized experimental design (CRD) with three treatments and eight replications. The treatments included a control, the application of the fungus on the seeds, and the application of the fungus on the substrate. The phytotechnical and post-harvest characteristics were evaluated. The application of the Trichoderma harzianum to the substrate resulted in a 19.75% increase in yield, a 19.87% increase in the conversion of seed mass into fresh mass, a 2.94% increase in the shoot dry mass, a 2.31% increase in water content, and a 28.29% increase in hypocotyl length compared to the control. The use of Trichoderma harzianum proved to be effective in promoting the growth of radish microgreens.

Endophytic Trichoderma: Potential and Prospects for Plant Health Management.

The fungus Trichoderma is widely regarded as the most common fungal biocontrol agent for plant health management. More than 25 Trichoderma species have been extensively studied and have demonstrated significant potential in inhibiting not only phytopathogen growth but also insect pest infestations. In addition to their use as biopesticides, there is increasing evidence that several Trichoderma species can function as fungal endophytes by colonizing the tissues of specific plants. This colonization enhances a plant's growth and improves its tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In recent decades, there has been a proliferation of literature on the role of Trichoderma endophytes in crop protection. Although the mechanisms underlying plant-fungal endophyte interactions are not yet fully understood, several studies have suggested their potential application in agriculture, particularly in the mitigation of plant pests and diseases. This review focuses on the diversity of Trichoderma endophytic strains and their potential use in controlling specific diseases and pests of crop plants. Trichoderma endophytes are considered a potential solution to reduce production costs and environmental impact by decreasing reliance on agrochemicals.

Diterpenoids with Antibacterial Activities from the Fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

A new fusicoccane diterpenoid, harziaderma A (1), two novel harziane diterpenoids, harzianones G and H (2 and 3), one revised harziane diterpenoid (4), and two known diterpenoids (5 and 6) were isolated from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum and established via NMR, HRESIMS, Mo2(OAc)4-induced circular dichroism (ICD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. It is worth noting that compound 1 represents the first instance of a fusicoccane-type diterpenoid derived from T. harzianum. The structure of furanharzianone B was revised to 4 via careful spectroscopic analyses. Additionally, compounds 2 and 5 could suppress the overall growth of the foodborne bacterial pathogen Bacillus cereus. Compound 4 showed a moderate suppressive impact on NO generation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. The discoveries from the current study not only expanded the structural variety of diterpenoids isolated from T. harzianum but also laid a robust foundation for the development of harziane diterpenoids as anti-foodborne pathogen agents.

Sorbicillinoid HSL-2 inhibits the infection of influenza A virus via interaction with the PPAR-γ/NF-κB pathway

BackgroundDrug resistance is an important factor in the fight against influenza A virus (IAV). Natural products offer a rich source of lead compounds for the discovery of novel antiviral drugs. In a previous study, we isolated the sorbicillinoid polyketide HSL-2 from the mycelium of fungus Trichoderma sp. T-4-1. Here, we show that this compound exerts strong antiviral activity against a panel of IAVs. MethodsThe immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR assays were used to detect the inhibitory effect of HSL-2 toward the replication of influenza virus and IAV-induced expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. ResultsThe results indicated that HSL-2 inhibited influenza virus replication, and it significantly inhibited IAV-induced overexpression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β through modulating the PPAR-γ/NF-κB pathway. Notably, this effect was decreased when cells were transfected with PPAR-γ siRNA or treated with the PPAR-γ inhibitor T0070907. In addition, HSL-2 was able to attenuate lung inflammatory responses and to improve lung lesions in a mouse model of IAV infection. ConclusionsIn this paper, we identified a microbial secondary metabolite, HSL-2, with anti-influenza virus activity. This report is the first to describe the antiviral activity and mechanism of action of HSL-2, and it provides a new strategy for the development of novel anti-influenza virus drugs from natural sources.