Introductory Chapter: Identification and Isolation of Trichoderma spp. - Their Significance in Agriculture, Human Health, Industrial and Environmental Application

Abstract

The genus Trichoderma is a diverse group of free-living fungi in the family Hypocreaceae, commonly present in all soils [1–6]. These ascomycetes fungi are opportunistic, avirulent plant symbionts inhabiting root ecosystems [3, 7] and parasites on other groups of fungi [2]. They reproduce by chlamydospores and ascospores and proliferate better at mesophilic temperatures (25–35°C) and wide range of pH. Several findings supported this such as [8] who observed no visible growth of conidia at 15°C, but retain growth at 25°C and best results at 30°C [9], evaluated the growth of Trichoderma isolates at different temperatures and pH ranges, and reported the highest mycelial growth of T. hamatum T612, T. harzianum T447, T. harzianum T969, and T. hamatum T614 at 25°C and T. virens T523 and Trichoderma sp. at 30°C. For pH requirement, mycelial growth of T. hamatum T612, T. harzianum T447, and T. virens T523 grew best at pH 5 and T. harzianum T969 and Trichoderma sp. at pH 7, while T. hamatum T614 has best mycelial growth at pH 8. A recent study by [10] reported 25–35°C. Similarly, a pH range of 5.5–8.5 was congenial for T. harzianum and T. hamatum. Trichoderma colonizes several ecological niches where they play a vital role; they have been earlier recognized as effective biocontrol agents of plant-pathogenic fungi, producers of secondary metabolites of medical importance [3, 11, 12], and agents of bioremediation. Similarly, their ability to degrade lignocellulosic biomass to produce second-generation biofuels and other value-added products has been widely accepted [3, 12].