Trichoderma Improves Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crop Plants

Trichoderma spp. are better known as suppressor of plant diseases. Trichoderma-based formulations thus dominate the biofungicide market. Intense researches however identified many traits in Trichoderma that extends the applications beyond plant protection. Various species of Trichoderma are capable of enhancing root growth and development, imparting tolerance to abiotic stresses, and improving uptake and use efficiency of micro- and macronutrients, culminating in enhancing crop productivity. Microbe-mediated improvement of nutrient use efficiency is gaining a lot of importance in the context of gradual loss of soil fertility/productivity that has resulted from intensive agriculture. Trichoderma spp. can enhance crop productivity by virtue of both enhanced decomposition of biomass and improving uptake of inorganic fertilizers, the topics of discussion in the current review.