Trichoderma as a Biological Control Agent

Trichoderma species are free-living fungi that are common in soil and root ecosystems. Some strains establish root colonization and enhance growth and development, crop productivity, resistance to abiotic stresses and uptake and use of nutrients. Trichoderma species can antagonize and control a wide range of economically important plant pathogenic fungi, viruses, bacteria and nematodes. Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are sedentary, obligatory root endoparasites of great economic importance, and polyphagous species, such as M. javanica and M. incognita are among the major limiting factors of crops production worldwide. Therefore, these nematodes have been the main target for nematode biocontrol by Trichoderma. Several Trichoderma species and isolates have been evaluated as biocontrol agents against the nematodes with various crops and experimental conditions. Significant results of nematode control and plants growth were achieved. Aiming to improve the biocontrol process, modes of action of the fungus against the root-knot nematodes have been investigated and are described in this chapter. Mechanisms such as parasitism, enzymatic lysis, antibiosis and induced resistance were studied. Understanding the fungus-nematode-plant interactions and the mechanisms of the biocontrol process might contribute to improve the implementation of this biocontrol agent.