Trichoderma as potential biocontrol agent, its exploitation in agriculture: A review

The novel technologies in all areas of agriculture have improved agricultural production, but some modern practices affect the environment. The recent challenge faced by advanced farming is to achieve higher yields in an environment-friendly manner. Thus, there is an immediate need to find eco-friendly solutions. Among various types of species being used as biocontrol agents, Trichoderma is widely used as biocontrol agent against different kinds of plant pathogens. Trichoderma spp. are asexual fungi that are present in all types of agricultural soils and also in decaying wood. The hostile activity of Trichoderma species showed that it is parasitic on many soil-borne and foliar plant pathogens. Recent studies showed that this fungus not only acts as biocontrol agent but also stimulates plant resistance, plant growth and development resulting in an increase in crop production. The antagonistic activity involves mycoparasitism, antibiotics, competition for nutrients and also induces systemic resistance in plants. Currently, Trichoderma spp. are being used to control plant diseases in sustainable disease management system. This paper reviews the already published information on Trichoderma as biocontrol agent, its biocontrol activity and its commercial production and application in plant disease management programs