CONTROL OF FUSARIUM WILT OF TOMATO BY USING BIOCONTROL AGENT (Trichoderma spp.)

Biological control has received a worldwide attention in the recent years and is being integrated effectively with other pesticides. Trichoderma spp. is chosen as the most promising bio-control agent for Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopserisici.To treat the disease in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner isolates from Trichoderma species has to be evaluated against the pathogen. Dual culture is reliable technique in evaluation against the target pathogens in vitro, through the synthesis of volatile and non-volatile inhibitors. The plant growth-fostering fungi (PGPF) or biological control agents (BCA) can be used in farming and horticulture, as Trichoderma strains are beneficial for plant growth and health. Therefore, biological properties and taxonomy has to be closely examined in order to select PGPF or BCA strains. Wide range of Trichoderma species function as biological control agents, which are based on antagonistic properties of multiple mechanisms. Trichoderma trips exercise biocontrol either indirectly by competition for nutrients and space, by modifications to the environmental conditions or through promoting vegetable growth, plant defense mechanisms and the prevention of antibiotics, or directly through mechanisms such as mycoparasitis. The significance in the biocontrol phase rely on the strain of Trichoderma, the antagonization fungus, the crop plant and environmental factors including the access of nutrients, pH, temperature and iron content. Any pathway is activated by promoting the development of certain compounds and metabolites, such as plant growth factors, hydrolytic enzymes, siderophores, antibiotics, and permeases of carbon and acid. Furthermore, the present article highlights the brief mechanism of Trichoderma, methods of applications, recommendations of Trichoderma spp, and some commercial products based on Trichoderma spp against wilt disease.