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Molecular Tools for Monitoring Trichoderma in Agricultural Environments

Summary

This research reviews modern molecular tools used to track and monitor beneficial and harmful Trichoderma fungi in agricultural settings. These fungi play important roles in agriculture – they can help protect crops from diseases and promote plant growth, but can also cause problems in mushroom farming. The review examines various methods to detect and measure Trichoderma populations, from basic lab techniques to advanced DNA-based tools. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps farmers better use beneficial Trichoderma strains to protect crops naturally without chemicals – Enables mushroom growers to detect harmful Trichoderma early to prevent crop losses – Supports development of more environmentally-friendly agricultural practices – Contributes to safer and more efficient food production methods – Advances our ability to monitor beneficial microorganisms in agricultural systems

Background

Various Trichoderma species play important roles in agricultural environments, acting as both beneficial organisms (as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents) and potential pests (causing green mold disease in mushroom cultivation). This dual nature necessitates proper monitoring tools to track both beneficial and harmful Trichoderma strains in agricultural settings. Traditional microbiological approaches using selective media are limited as they cannot distinguish between introduced strains and native populations.

Objective

To review and discuss the available molecular tools for species- and strain-specific monitoring of Trichoderma in agricultural environments, ranging from immunological approaches and fingerprinting tools to exogenous markers, specific PCR primers, and modern ‘omics’ approaches.

Results

The review found that while no single method is perfect, certain tools like quantitative RT-PCR and strain-specific primers developed from SCAR markers show particular promise for monitoring Trichoderma. Modern omics approaches are providing new opportunities for developing highly specific monitoring tools. Each method has specific advantages and limitations regarding cost, sensitivity, reproducibility, and ease of use.

Conclusion

The evolution of Trichoderma monitoring methods from basic microbiological techniques to advanced molecular tools has greatly improved our ability to track specific strains in agricultural environments. While no current method meets all ideal monitoring requirements, qRT-PCR and strain-specific molecular markers show significant promise. Emerging genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches are expected to further enhance our understanding of Trichoderma population dynamics and ecology in agricultural settings.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01599
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