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The issue of ongoing cropping barriers is getting worse as China's melon planting area steadily grows, and the melon industry's sustainable growth is being negatively impacted by the steadily diminishing yield and quality of the fruit. Trichoderma is a probiotic that can enhance the physiological traits of crops, encourage their growth, and raise their yield and quality. It is yet unknown, though, how Trichoderma influences the growth, physiological traits, and yield of melon grown on soils continuously cropped to melon. Trichoderma viride kf57 agents at 1.0 × 104, 8.0 × 104, 6.4 × 105, and 5.12 × 106 CFU/g and no Trichoderma viride agents (CK) were utilized as treatments. At the seedling and fruiting stages, a pot experiment and a bedding experiment were conducted to study the physiological properties and yield of melon under varying concentration of Trichoderma viride kf57 agents. As a result of the application of T. viride agents, the indexes of melon seedlings were all significantly improved. The treatment of 6.4 × 105 CFU/g had the best promoting effect on the morphology of melon seedlings, and the plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh weight of whole plant, dry weight of whole plant, root shoot ratio, and strong seedling index of melon seedlings increased by 90.39, 46.30, 37.55, 81.35, 100.62, 51.47, and 240.00%, respectively, compared with CK. The results showed that different amounts of T. viride agents could improve physiological and biochemical indices of melon leaves during the fruiting stage; the treatment of 6.4 × 105 CFU/g was the most effective; chlorophyll content, nitrate nitrogen content, sucrose content, reducing sugar content, free proline content, nitrate reductase (NR) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of melon leaves increased at 30 days after melon pollination. Melon quality and yield was also enhanced by the use of T. viride agents, with the treatment of 6.4 × 105 CFU/g T. viride agents having the best boosting effects. The melon fruit's transverse diameter, vertical diameter, single fruit weight, and yield all increased. The amount of soluble solids, vitamin C, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and sugar acid ratio also increased. In conclusion, by promoting the morphology of melon grown on soils continuously cropped to melon seedlings, T. viride agents can improve the physiological characteristics of melon grown on soils continuously cropped to melon and improve the production and quality qualities of melon. When using T. viride kf57 agents, 6.4 × 105 CFU/g is the highest effective dosage. The study revealed that T. viride agents had significant potential as biological agents as they showed good results in melon yield and quality formation, as well as in enhancing seedling quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diseases caused by fungal pathogens are responsible for severe damage to strategic crops worldwide. Late wilt disease (LWD) is a vascular disease that occurs late in maize development. Harpophora maydis , the causative agent of maize LWD, is responsible for significant economic losses in Egypt. Therefore, the aim of this study was to control LWD of maize using an alternative approach to reduce the use of chemical pesticides. A combination of Trichoderma viride , a fungal biocontrol agent, and Azospirillum brasilense , a bacterial endophytic plant growth promoter, was applied in vitro and in planta. T. viride showed high mycoparasitic potential against H. maydis via various antagonistic activities, including the production of lytic enzymes, secondary metabolites, volatile compounds, and siderophores. A. brasilense and T. viride filtrates were also shown to suppress H. maydis growth, in addition to their ability to produce gibberellic and indole acetic acids. A significant change in the metabolites secreted by T. viride was observed using GC/MS in the presence of H. maydis. A field experiment was conducted on susceptible and resistant hybrids of maize to evaluate the antagonistic activity of T. viride combined with A. brasilense on LWD incidence as well as plant growth promotion under field conditions. The data revealed a significant decrease in both disease incidence and severity in maize plants treated with T. viride and/or A. brasilense. Further, there was a noticeable increase in all plant growth and yield parameters. An anatomical examination of the control and inoculated maize roots was also reflective of plant responses under biotic stress. Taken together, the obtained results provide successful eco-friendly management strategies against LWD in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional antifungal agents has prompted extensive research into the antifungal properties of plant essential oils (EOs). This study investigates the use of EOs mixture (Origanum vulgare, Moringa oleifera, and Cinnamomum verum) for controlling fungal deterioration in wall paintings at the archaeological Youssef Kamal Palace in Nag Hammadi, Egypt. Fungal isolates were collected from deteriorated wall paintings and identified using phenotypic and genotypic analyses. Aspergillus sp. was found to be the predominant species (50%), followed by Penicillium sp. (16.7%), Fusarium sp. (16.7%), and others. They were genetically identified to be Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium solani, Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, and Trichoderma viride. The antifungal activity of three individual oils (oregano, moringa and cinnamon) was evaluated against the most predominant A. niger strain. Out of the three oils, oregano oil showed the strongest antifungal effect with an inhibition zone diameter (IZD) of 4.5 cm followed by moringa (3.5 cm) and cinnamon (3.2 cm). A mixture design approach optimized the EOs combination, with the most effective composition being (44% oregano, 46% moringa, 10% cinnamon), yielding an IZD of 6.5 cm. The optimized EOs mixture demonstrated complete inhibition against all tested fungal strains. The minimal inhibitory concentration tests showed varying efficacies against different fungal strains, with MIC values ranging from 125 to 500 µg/mL. GC-MS analysis identified the major bioactive compounds: carvacrol (83.25%) in oregano, trans-13-octadecenoic acid (22.62%) in moringa, and cinnamaldehyde (24.42%) in cinnamon. Cytotoxicity testing on human skin fibroblasts (HSF) showed minimal toxicity of EOs mixture with 87.64% cell viability at 100 µg/ml. Colorimetric measurements revealed some colour changes in experimental painting samples, particularly with cinnamon oil on white pigment (ΔE = 9.64) and moringa oil on a yellow pigment (ΔE = 16.31). However, oregano oil consistently showed the least impact across all pigments. These findings demonstrate the potential of the EOs combination as an effective, eco-friendly approach to mitigating fungal deterioration in wall paintings, contributing to sustainable conservation strategies for cultural heritage preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decay, mold, and termite resistance of high-density fiberboard (HDF) formed using combinations of wood and chicken feather fibers (CFF) bonded with polyurethane resin was investigated. Laboratory and underground field exposure tests showed that HDF containing 50% to 100% CFF by weight were moderately to highly resistant to the white-rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murrill and the subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi Wasmann. Moderate to heavy mold growth was observed on HDF containing 25% to 100% CFF when inoculated with a mixed strain of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Trichoderma viride. In general, HDF consisting of wood fibers and CFF was resistant to decay and subterranean termite but susceptible to mold growth. The susceptibility HDF to mold may require the use of a biocide to improve mold resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Wildlife & Biodiversity (JWB) is the property of Arak University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents the results of research conducted on water and silt samples taken from river waters located in the southern region of Azerbaijan. Microbiological and physicochemical analyses were performed on the samples, and it was determined that the temperature ranged between 6 and 28 °C, pH between 6.9 and 8.6, and dissolved oxygen between 4.5 and 11.2 mg/L, depending on the season. The number of saprotrophic bacteria in the water samples ranged from 2 to 42 million cells/ml, while in the silt samples, it ranged from 1 to 6 million cells/ml. The highest indicator was observed here, as Lenkeranchay is exposed to excessive anthropogenic impacts throughout the year. Cellulose degrading aerobic bacteria showed 46–236 cells/ml and anaerobic bacteria showed 14–545 cells/ml in 1 ml of water. The micromycetes isolated from the studied river waters represent 2 divisions, 6 classes, 8 orders, 9 families, 12 genera and 33 species. Of these, 28 species of micromycetes belong to the division Ascomycota, while 5 species belong to the division Zygomycota. If we quantify the obtained micromycetes, the division Ascomycota represents 84.8% and the division Zygomycota 15.2%. The role of the identified micromycete strains in the biodegradation of cellulose was determined and it was found that Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus terreus species were more active in the biodegradation process. Cellulose-degrading bacteria and micromycetes were found to completely degrade filter paper and cotton residues within 10-30 days. The results of the research provide important information on the health of river ecosystems and the protection and conservation of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Senna alata (L.) Roxb. and Senna occidentalis (L.) Link (family Fabaceae) are commonly used in different systems of traditional medicine to treat ailments. The present study was designed to determine the phytoconstituents, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antimicrobial activities of the methanolic extract from the leaves of these two Senna species. A total of 75 phenolic compounds belonging to dihydroxybenzoic acids, dihydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoid C‐glycosides, flavonoid O‐glycosides, flavonoid aglycones, anthraquinone glycosides, and anthraquinone aglycones were identified. Flavonoid C‐glycosides were only found in S. occidentalis while sennosides A, B, and C were only detected in S. alata. In line with its higher total phenolic and flavonoids contents, S. alata exerted significantly (p < 0.05) higher antiradical (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazy (DPPH) = 58.36 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g; 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid (ABTS) = 118.86 mg TE/g), ions reducing (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) = 93.85 mg TE/g; ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) = 50.42 mg TE/g), and total antioxidant (1.39 mmol TE/g) activities than S. occidentalis. S. alata revealed significantly (p < 0.05) higher inhibitory effect against butyrylcholinesterase (1.67 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g), tyrosinase (45.07 mg KAE/g) 45.07 mg kojic acid equivalent (KAE)/g), α‐glucosidase (0.73 mmol acarbose equivalent (ACAE)/g), and α‐amylase (2.95 mmol ACAE/g) enzymes. Both species showed high antibacterial and antifungal activities with remarkable antifungal activity exerted by S. alata against Trichoderma viride (minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) 1 mg/mL), similar to that of Ketoconazole. The study utilized molecular docking, molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) free energy calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the binding interactions between anthraquinone glycosides and various bacterial enzymes, including targets from Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The findings suggest that compounds like sennoside A, sennoside B, and chrysophanol exhibit strong binding affinities, stable interactions, and potential as antimicrobial inhibitors, especially against vital bacterial proteins such as MurE and 30S ribosome S3. In conclusion, our findings underscore the biopharmaceutical potential of these two Senna species, suggesting their significance as sources of bioactive agents for health‐related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis vinifera is highly susceptible to grapevine trunk diseases, with Neofusicoccum parvum recognized as a highly destructive pathogen. This study investigates the biocontrol potential of five Trichoderma species (T. harzianum, T. viride, T. asperellum, and T. virens) against N. parvum, evaluating multiple biocontrol mechanisms (mycoparasitism, competition for nutrients, production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and antibiosis) as well as their compatibility with the fungicides copper oxychloride and sulfur. Results demonstrated that (1) Trichoderma harzianum effectively suppressed N. parvum through VOC production, mycoparasitism, and nutrient competition, significantly reducing pathogen growth in planta while showing compatibility with both fungicides, highlighting its suitability for integrated disease management; (2) Trichoderma viride showed high inhibition of N. parvum in vitro, but its phytotoxicity in planta limits its field application. These findings support T. harzianum as a promising agent within integrated disease management strategies, offering a sustainable alternative to reduce chemical fungicide reliance in controlling grapevine trunk pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard yellow maize is a crucial crop in Peruvian agriculture that plays a significant role in food security and livestock production. However, intensive fertilization practices in agronomic management have negatively impacted soil health. To explore more sustainable agricultural technologies, researchers investigated solutions using microorganisms to enhance plant growth. This study assessed the synergistic effects of microbial inoculants and mineral fertilization on INIA 619 and Dekal B-7088 maize varieties' yield and nutritional quality. A split-plot design was employed, incorporating four inoculation treatments—no inoculant, Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma viride, and Pseudomonas putida—combined with fertilization levels of 0%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The findings revealed that Bacillus subtilis boosted yields by 13.1% in INIA 619 and 55.5% in Dekal B-7088. Additionally, combined with 100% fertilization, microbial inoculation increased protein content by 47% and carbohydrates by 6% in INIA 619 while maintaining nutritional quality with 75% fertilization. Similarly, in Dekal B-7088, inoculation with total fertilization enhanced protein content by 54% and fiber by 27%. These results demonstrated that microbial inoculation could reduce mineral fertilization by up to 25% while sustaining high yields and improving the nutritional quality of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma viride strains, which are filamentous fungi commonly found in soil, possess the ability to parasitize various fungi harmful to plants. In this study, ten strains of T. viride were isolated from different locations in Uttar Pradesh, India, and examined for their cultural, physiological, morphological, and antagonistic characteristics against soil-borne pathogens. The T. viride isolates were assessed at different pH levels for their growth, sporulation, and antagonistic efficacy under in vitro conditions using the dual culture technique against five major soil-borne pathogens that cause significant diseases in cereal and pulse crops. Among the ten isolates tested, the 49CP isolate from Sultanpur exhibited the maximum growth and sporulation at a pH of 6.5 as well as the highest inhibition percentages of mycelial growth in the pathogens: 63.23% against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, 65.85% against Sclerotium rolfsii, 53.33% against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, 53.84% against Pythium sp., and 48.00% against Rhizoctonia bataticola. Trichoderma viride is also recognized for its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent against soil-borne pathogens, which are responsible for significant crop losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acehnese Patchouli var. Sidikalang can produce patchouli oil, one of the country's sources of foreign exchange, and it is advantageous in many industries. However, patchouli alcohol (PA) content in patchouli oil is still low. The higher PA content determines the better quality of patchouli oil. So, delignification with Trichoderma viride was carried out to increase PA and yield of patchouli oil. The duration of delignification patchouli leaves is one factor affecting the increase in PA and yield. This study aimed to determine the effect of delignification duration on PA content and yield. The research method was completely randomized with 8 treatments (a combination of 2 treatments: with and without delignification, and 4 delignification durations: 0, 3, 6, and 9 days). The inoculum used for delignification was an inoculum ball, and then patchouli leaf samples were extracted using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Gas chromatography was carried out for PA analysis. Delignification of patchouli leaves, with a delignification time of 9 days, showed high PA and yield, which were (0.3129 ± 0.1557)% and (1.4543 ± 0.7717)%, respectively. The success of delignification at 9 days was also shown by increased phenolic content. Trichoderma viride is often utilized in delignification process, but the optimal duration of its delignification of Aceh patchouli leaves that can help improve patchouli oil quality is not yet known. This research is hoped to help related industries improve the secondary metabolites of plants, which has many benefits for the community. Implication/benefit for science development/society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal pathogens cause over a billion human infections annually, leading to more than 1.6 million deaths each year. The scarcity of available antifungal drugs intensifies the public health threat posed by human pathogenic fungal infections. Therefore there is a critical demand for novel, safe, and effective antifungal agents. Although chitinases are established as effective antifungal agents against phytopathogenic fungi, research on their activity against human pathogenic fungi is limited. The present study seeks to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antifungal activity of bacterial and fungal chitinase against human pathogenic fungi. The antifungal efficacy of bacterial chitinase from Streptomyces griseus, fungal chitinase from Trichoderma viride, and a combination of both was determined by calculating the inhibition percentage in fungal growth, indicated by the reduction in the dry mass of the fungi. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory activity of these chitinases was assessed by measuring the inhibition of albumin denaturation. Results revealed that chitinases exhibited greater antifungal activity compared to the standard. Notably, bacterial chitinase demonstrated higher effectiveness than fungal chitinase against Aspergillus fumigatus, while the bacterial and fungal chitinase had similar effects against different Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida species. The combination of bacterial and fungal chitinase demonstrated the highest antifungal activity against all tested fungi. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory activity indicated that chitinases prevented 98% of albumin denaturation, marking the first study reporting the anti-inflammatory role of chitinases in preventing albumin denaturation. Additional in-vivo studies are necessary to explore the antifungal activity of chitinases against human pathogenic fungi and investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of chitinase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biological methods to control plant diseases has garnered attention due to their eco-friendly and economically viable nature. Trichoderma spp. are the most ubiquitous fungal saprophytes that can often grow as opportunistic symbionts, are eco-friendly, and are not reported to exert any environmental hazard. Soil-borne pathogens can significantly impact the yield of chilli and tomato crops. The study was conducted to explore the impact of various salts (NaCl, MgCl2, CaCl2, and KCl) and their concentrations (1%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) on the mycelial growth and sporulation of Trichoderma viride followed by its mass multiplication on diverse organic substrates like wheat seeds, wheat husks, mungbean seeds, maize seeds, rice seeds, pea seeds, sorghum seeds, banana peel, apple peel, pomegranate peel, citrus peel, tomato waste, chilli waste, spinach waste, cabbage waste, potato peel, onion peel, cucumber peel, carrot peel, used black tea leaves, used green tea leaves, poultry waste, and cow and goat dung. The study assessed the biocontrol potential of Trichoderma viride against important soil-borne pathogens in chilli (Pythium aphanidermatum, Phytophthora capsici, and Fusarium oxysporum) and tomato (Pythium aphanidermatum, Phytophthora infestans, and F. oxysporum) cropping in the pot and field experiments using saline and alkaline soils. Seed treatment with T. viride significantly enhanced the germination rates of both chilli and tomato crops, with sorghum being the most conducive substrate for mass-multiplying T. viride. The results revealed that lower salt concentrations minimally affected T. viride growth, while higher concentrations hampered both growth and sporulation. Optimal disease control and plant height were observed at a 20 mg concentration of T. viride, consequently applied in vivo using various application methods, i.e., seed treatment, root dip, irrigation, and mixed treatments (all the methods like seed treatment, root dip method, and irrigation method applied together) to manage soil-borne pathogens. Particularly, T. viride application through irrigation and mixed treatments demonstrated strong efficacy. These findings underscore the potential of T. viride application in saline and alkaline soils to manage soil-borne pathogens like Pythium, Phytophthora spp., and Fusarium spp. This study lays the foundation for the practical application of biocontrol agents, like T. viride, in Pakistani agricultural conditions. Moreover, there is a need for further exploration into the genetic mechanisms involved in disease inhibition and plant growth promotion, along with understanding the impact of T. viride on the metabolic pathways of host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this research was to study the effectiveness of various strains of antagonist microorganisms and biological preparations against Meloidogyne hapla, in addition to their impact on the quality of tomato fruits and crop structure. Four microorganism strains and three registered environmentally safe nematicides were used in the experiment presented herein. The results showed that the strains Paecilomyces lilacinus F-22BK/6 and Arthrobotrys conoides F-22BK/4 had the greatest biological efficacy, reducing the number of galls on tomato plants by 91.8% and 88.4%, values comparable with the results of the chemical control Vydate 5G. The Metarhizium anisopliae F-22BK/2 and Arthrobotrys conoides F-22BK/4 treatments showed the best results, increasing the fruit weight by 8.6% and 9.9%, in addition to increasing the tomato yield by 5.0% and 13.3%. These strains contributed to an increase in sugar content, whereas the concentration of vitamin C was reduced in the Trichoderma viride F-294 and Fitoverm treatments, indicating a high level of oxidative stress in the latter treatments. The results of this study confirm the prospects of using biological nematicides against phytoparasitic nematodes, which will not only enable effective control of their population but also improve the quality of agricultural products, minimizing harm to the environment and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulation of biocontrol agents including bioinoculants and biopesticides is a critical factor which determines crop growth and yield that are cultivated by organic agriculture practices. Trichoderma viride is the most commonly used biocontrol agent against diverse plant pathogens associated with various crops. In the present study, the effect of formulation like gel matrix prepared from natural products and water in oil emulsion of Trichoderma viride on the post treatment persistence adapting dilution method and soil dilution method was studied. The maximum frequency of occurrence was recorded in all the formulation over the control, and high frequency of occurrence was recorded in water in oil formulation and followed by biogel formulation. The effect of metallic nanoparticles on the formulation efficacy was also studied which reveals all the formulation could retain the viability. The effect of formulation on the biocontrol efficacy of Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata adapting soil dilution method reveals all the formulation retarded the tested pathogenic fungal colonies, and the biogel formulation of Trichoderma viride with nanoparticles treatment showed the best compatibility on decomposition of organic wastes. The study is highly recommended because of the high rate of persistence of compatibility resistant to nanoparticle treatment and best biocontrol efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulking agent and microbial agent are widely used to improving the aerobic composting condition. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of composite microbial agent which is consisted of Azotobacter salinestris, Aspergillus oryzae, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus cereus and Trichoderma viride with different bulking agents (straw or sawdust) on organic matter degradation, enzyme activities, and functional genes associated with carbon and nitrogen cycling during aerobic composting of food waste. The results demonstrated that the inoculation of composite microbial agent significantly improved the degradation of starch, protein, cellulose, and grease, along with boosting microbial enzyme activity and the abundance of carbon degradation genes. Furthermore, the degradation of organic matter (OM), protein, cellulose, and grease were higher in the straw bulked composting with composite microbial agent treatment (B). Meanwhile, B also exhibited a higher abundance of cdh and rbcL genes compared to the other treatments. Pearson regression analysis identified temperature as the primary factor controlling organic matter degradation, while cdh and cex genes exhibited strong associations with cellulose degradation during food waste composting. These findings suggest that incorporating straw as bulking agent with composite microbial agent during food waste composting can effectively enhance organic matter degradation. [Display omitted] • Composite microbial agent significantly enhanced organic matter degradation. • Composite microbial agent stimulated the secrete of microbial enzyme. • Straw conditioned composting degrade organic matter more effectively than sawdust. • Temperature is the key factor of organic matter degradation during composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation of Alternaria blotch in apple orchards was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of fungicides, plant extracts and bioagents against Alternaria mali through the development of integrated disease management strategies. Under pot conditions, potential combinations of fungicides, plant extracts and biocontrol agents for mitigating the disease were evaluated. Furthermore, polyhouse studies showed that bioagents such as Trichoderma viride, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens have disease control potential. Moreover, this research explored the impact of fungicides on the production of primary inoculum, highlighting the potential to impede conidial production by the pathogen. Over two cropping seasons, field assessments indicated the efficiency of integrated approaches in managing Alternaria blotch of apples. This study highlights the importance of reducing chemical inputs while ensuring successful disease management, offering important insights into a more sustainable approach to the management of diseases in apple orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of seed primimg with soil microorganism on the germination and metabolism of pearl millet seeds when exposed to the allelopathic effects of some specific weed extracts. Methods: Pearl millet seeds were categorized into five distinct groups. Four of these groups were subjected to priming with different soil microorganisms: Bacillus velezensis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia marcescens, and Trichoderma viride. The remaining, fifth group underwent hydropriming. Subsequently, these groups were subjected to germination in the presence of weed extracts, a process that extended over five days. Following germination, various factors were assessed, including germination percentage, radicle and plumule length, and seed vigor. Furthermore, the study encompassed the analysis of biochemical parameters such carbohydrate and phytate hydrolysis, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzyme activity, and secondary metabolite. Results: The findings of the study revealed that biopriming of pearl millet seeds with soil microorganisms led to a significant enhancement in germination, even when exposed to different weed extract treatments. This improvement was chiefly manifested through heightened levels of antioxidant enzymes, which mitigate the oxidative stress induced by the weed treatments. Moreover, the biopriming process improved the hydrolysis in germinated seeds, resulting in energy savings and a reduction in carbon utilization for secondary metabolism through the shikimic acid pathway and the phenylpropanol pathway. This facilitated the production of defense molecules like phenols and flavonoids. Conclusion: Seed priming with soil microorganism ultimately bolsters the seeds' tolerance against allelochemicals originating from weed residue treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the period 2018-2021, research and identification of the most important soil fungal pathogens in asparagus crops (Asparagus officinalis L.) was carried out in the experimental field of Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, Plovdiv. Among those isolated in asparagus crops (after the third year of cultivation) are the pathogens Phytophtora spp., Rhizoctonia spp. and Fusarium spp.-the causative agents of rot on young stems and root rot and drying. The Fusarium spp. species are most common and are isolated in 80% of plants with signs of root rot. Due to the predominance of Fusarium spp. in the biocenosis of asparagus, the possibilities for control Fusarium rot and wilt in this culture have been studied. Cultivation scheme was found to be an important factor determining the disease development. The development of Fusarium rot during the cultivation of asparagus according to 80/30 cm scheme is 26% weaker, compared to 120+60/50 cm. Preventative treatment of young plants at the beginning of the growing season with Topsin M 70 WP at a concentration of 0.1% solution by watering delays the development of Fusarium rot on asparagus during the active period of harvest. The cultivation of seedlings in a peat-perlite mixture with the addition of the bioproduct Trichodermin leads to a reduction in the development of Fusarium rot in asparagus after planting the culture on the infected field by 73% and increased yield by 42%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gentiopicroside (GPD) is a major secoiridoid glucoside in plants of the family Gentianaceae, predominantly in the genus Gentiana. The roots and shoots of Gentiana kurroo Royle, indigenous to the Indian Himalayas are rich in GPD. It is used extensively for treating various diseases in Ayurvedic medicine. In this study, in vitro shoot cultures of G. kurroo were stimulated with Trichoderma viride, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and an endophytic fungal cell wall extract to enhance the production of GPD. The results showed that treatment with the endophytic fungal extract produced the highest concentration of GPD (30.4 mg/g DW) than other treatments after 48 hours. The endophytic fungus was identified as Parengyodontium album. This study provides a simple and efficient method for in vitro elicitation of GPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melon damping off, which has a negative impact on melon quality and yield, can be safely and effectively managed with Trichoderma. Melon cultivar 'Longtian No. 1' was evaluated at both the adult and seedling stages in a pot experiment. The Rs and PD liquids were utilized as CK1 and CK2, respectively. Trichoderma viride Tv286 treatments T1B, T2B, T3B, and T4B were used based on Rs at concentrations of 104, 105, 106, and 107 CFU·g−1, respectively. The impact of several treatments on the antioxidant system and seedling quality of melon were assessed at 15, 25, and 35 days after sowing. We examined the effects of several treatments on melon quality, yield attributes, and physiological and biochemical markers during the adult stage at 10, 20, and 30 days after pollination. The effects of several treatments on melon damping off were also studied. Applying T. viride Tv286 at different rates effectively increased the activities of enzymes, including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), in the leaves of melon seedlings, significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and improved the root–shoot ratio and seedling strength index. In terms of its influence on promoting the effect of antioxidant system indicators, T3B performed well. Melon seedlings treated with T3B showed higher CAT, POD, SOD, APX, and PPO activities in their leaves 35 days after sowing compared to CK1 (189.74, 169.61, 175.36, 224.20, and 477.39%, respectively). The strong seedling index and root–shoot ratio showed improvements of 130.43 and 79.71%, respectively, and the MDA content dropped by 35.66% at 35 days after sowing compared to CK1. Varying the rates at which T. viride Tv286 was applied increased the nitrate reductase (NR) activity and nitrate nitrogen, proline (Pro), chlorophyll, soluble sugar, and soluble protein contents in mature melon leaves, increasing melon quality and yield. T3B is the most effective marketing campaign. Compared to CK1, mature T3B leaves had higher NR activity, nitrate nitrogen content, chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content, soluble protein content, and Pro content 30 days after melon pollination (100.40, 135.17, 68.59, 93.65, 158.13, and 238.67%, respectively). The soluble solids, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C contents, and yield of melon fruit increased by 50.07, 126.82, 60.62, 70.79, and 61.45%, respectively, at 30 days after melon pollination compared to CK1. Optimal management of melon damping off can be accomplished with the application of T. viride Tv286 at different concentrations, with T3B exhibiting the best effect. The control effects reached 90.48 and 72.99% at the seedling and adult stages, respectively. Overall, T. viride Tv286 improved seedling quality, damping off control efficacy, melon yield and quality, and the antioxidant system during the seedling stage and enhanced physiological and biochemical characteristics during the adult stage. This study indicates the potential of T. viride Tv286 conidia as a biological control agent because it can prevent plant disease, increase yield, and improve quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Pea is third most important pulse crop of the world, which is being cultivated all over the globe over the land area of two million hectares. Despite of its being grown in large area, this crop is infected by numerous pathogens including rust disease. Rust disease of pea is caused by Uromyces viciaefabae affect the pea crop all over the mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. The data revealed that all the bioagents decreases the % disease severity over control. The minimum PDI was recorded in T6 - Soil application of Trichoderma viride @ 20g/m² (38.27%) followed by T5-Soil application of Trichoderma harzianum @ 20g/m² (40.74%) and T3- Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens @10g/kg of seed (43.20%). Whereas, maximum PDI T1- Seed treatment with Trichoderma harzianum @ 10g/kg of seed (53.08%) followed by T4- Seed treatment with Bacillus sp @ 10g/kg of seed (50.61%) and T2- Seed treatment with Tricoderma viride @ 10g/kg of seed (48.14%), respectively. In case of control 71.60% PDI was recorded. The maximum PDC was recorded in T6- Soil application of Trichoderma viride @ 20g/m² (46.55%) and minimum PDC was recorded under the treatment T1- Seed treatment with Trichoderma harzianum @ 10g/kg of seed (25.86%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue management has become a challenge for current agricultural systems in order to produce enough food to meet the needs of a growing population while maintaining soil health. As a result, increased crop output generates a considerable amount of residue. In order to clean the field, the only option that comes to mind is to burn the residue, believing that it is inexpensive, simple, economical, and takes little time but on the other hand it emits up to 13 tons of CO2 ha-1, producing severe air, water and soil pollution and the death of beneficial soil invertebrates and microbes. A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of department of Soil Science, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi during rabi season of 2021. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) design with three replications comprising of ten treatments viz., T1- Farmer's practice 15:20:0::N:P2O5:K2O (Linseed), T2- 100% RDF (Kg ha-1)::60:40:20:20:: N:P2O5:K2O:S (Linseed),T3- 100% RDF (25% P2O5 as residue incorporation+ 75% basal), T4- 100% RDF + Trichoderma viride, T5- T3+ Trichoderma viride, T6- 75% RDF, T7- 75% RDF (25% P2O5 as residue incorporation + 75% basal), T8- 75% RDF + Trichoderma viride, T9- T7 + Trichoderma viride and T10- Control (only crop residue @ 5t ha-1 in both the crops), respectively. The crop residue incorporation and nutrient management in linseed influenced the yield attributes and yield of linseed with the highest yield attributing characters and yield achieved with the treatment containing 100% RDF (25% P2O5 as residue incorporation + 75% basal) + Trichoderma viride, which was at par with 100% RDF N:P2O5:K2O:S (Kg ha-1) ::60:40:20:20 (Linseed). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diseases caused by fungal pathogens are responsible for severe damage to strategic crops worldwide. Late wilt disease (LWD) is a vascular disease that occurs late in maize development. Harpophora maydis, the causative agent of maize LWD, is responsible for significant economic losses in Egypt. Therefore, the aim of this study was to control LWD of maize using an alternative approach to reduce the use of chemical pesticides. A combination of Trichoderma viride, a fungal biocontrol agent, and Azospirillum brasilense, a bacterial endophytic plant growth promoter, was applied in vitro and in planta. T. viride showed high mycoparasitic potential against H. maydis via various antagonistic activities, including the production of lytic enzymes, secondary metabolites, volatile compounds, and siderophores. A. brasilense and T. viride filtrates were also shown to suppress H. maydis growth, in addition to their ability to produce gibberellic and indole acetic acids. A significant change in the metabolites secreted by T. viride was observed using GC/MS in the presence of H. maydis. A field experiment was conducted on susceptible and resistant hybrids of maize to evaluate the antagonistic activity of T. viride combined with A. brasilense on LWD incidence as well as plant growth promotion under field conditions. The data revealed a significant decrease in both disease incidence and severity in maize plants treated with T. viride and/or A. brasilense. Further, there was a noticeable increase in all plant growth and yield parameters. An anatomical examination of the control and inoculated maize roots was also reflective of plant responses under biotic stress. Taken together, the obtained results provide successful eco-friendly management strategies against LWD in maize.

Comprehensive Summary: Herein, we reported a precise de novo synthesis of chiral 3,4‐dihydroquinazoline frameworks via a one‐pot anionic stereogenic‐at‐cobalt(III) complex‐catalyzed enantioselective Ugi‐azide/Pd‐catalyzed cyclization sequence. This powerful protocol involves 5 components and 2 catalytic systems, delivering chiral 3,4‐dihydroquinazolines with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The preliminary antifungal experiments suggest that both Ugi‐adducts and 3,4‐dihydroquinazolines have great potential in inhibiting plant pathogens such as Trichoderma viride and Fusarium graminearum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Herein, we reported a precise de novo synthesis of chiral 3,4‐dihydroquinazoline frameworks via a one‐pot anionic stereogenic‐at‐cobalt(III) complex‐catalyzed enantioselective Ugi‐azide/Pd‐catalyzed cyclization sequence. This powerful protocol involves 5 components and 2 catalytic systems, delivering chiral 3,4‐dihydroquinazolines with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The preliminary antifungal experiments suggest that both Ugi‐adducts and 3,4‐dihydroquinazolines have great potential in inhibiting plant pathogens such as Trichoderma viride and Fusarium graminearum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles has gained a lot of interest in the area of nanotechnology, because of its high therapeutic properties. The present study focussed on the synthesis of the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) using Ceropegia debilis leaf extract and characterized by various physio-chemical techniques and surface morphological studies. The prepared Ag-NPs exhibit a face-centred cubic structure, spherical morphology, and high purity as shown by XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses. The average size of the Ag-NPs was confirmed by TEM study as 18.6 ± 7.5 nm. The synthesized Ag-NPs show remarkable antioxidant activity of 72.1% compared to standard BHT 86.9%. Furthermore, Ag-NPs show remarkable cytotoxic properties against MCF 7 and A 549 cell line of 37.19% and 33.33%, respectively at 250 µg/mL. The antibacterial activity of Ag-NPs was investigated against the human pathogen and intestinal pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by agar disc diffusion method. Moreover, the synthesised Ag-NPs exhibit good antifungal properties against the fungal specimen Trichoderma viride assessed by well diffusion technique. In addition, Ag-NPs serve as an excellent nanocatalyst in the removal of toxic methylene blue dye (93.2%) from industrial wastewater under sunlight irradiation. [Display omitted] • Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by Ceropegia debilis extract. • SEM and TEM used for surface morphology and size determination. • Impressive anti-proliferative activity towards MCF 7 and A 549 were observed. • Effective nanocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Barry is a soil-borne plant pathogen, capable of infecting more than 500 host plants worldwide. It is a major pathogen that plays a crucial role in reducing the yield of economically important crops. Sclerotinia rot also known as stem rot or white mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a serious disease of chickpea. Methods: The antagonistic potential of four bioagents i.e. Trichoderma harzianum (Th-BKN), Trichoderma viride (Tv-BKN), Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf-BKN) and Bacillus subtilis (Bs- BKN) were isolated from chickpea rhizospheric soil. The fungal bioagents were tested for their antagonistic potential against the pathogen in vitro by modified dual culture technique on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. While bacterial antagonists tested for their antagonistic potential against the pathogen in vitro by paper disc inoculation technique on Nutrient Agar (NA) and Pseudomonas Agar Fluorescens (PAF) media. Each treatment was replicated four times, incubated at 23±10°C, data on the antagonistic activity of different bioagents were recorded and per cent inhibition was calculated for each antagonist. Result: The fungal antagonists T. harzianum (Th-BKN) resulted in maximum growth inhibition of the pathogen (70.48%) and bacterial antagonists, Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf-BKN) (37.56%) was more effective than the Bacillus subtilis (Bs- BKN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Background: Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich., a plant of the Cupressaceae family, is known for its leaves and cones rich in essential oils, which are traditionally used in folk medicine. This study employed hydrodistillation to extract essential oils from three parts of T. distichum, namely its leaves, twigs, and cones, and evaluated the yield and composition of these oils as well as their anti-mildew property on paper. Methods: The chemical compositions of the essential oils from the three parts were analyzed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The anti-mildew properties were assessed on paper against seven mold fungi, namely Aspergillus clavatus, A. niger, Chaetomium globosum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Myrothecium verrucaria, Penicillium citrinum, and Trichoderma viride, following standards such as TAPPI T487 cm-93 and CNS 2690. Furthermore, the essential oil demonstrating the strongest anti-mildew properties was selected from the oils extracted from three different parts, underwent column chromatography for isolation, and the main active compounds were identified. Results: Among the three parts, cones had the highest essential oil yield (0.53 ± 0.03 mL/100 g), followed by leaves (0.46 ± 0.02 mL/100 g) and twigs (0.06 ± 0.01 mL/100 g). The main components were limonene (39.8%) and α-pinene (37.1%) in leaves; limonene (16.8%), α-pinene (15.8%), and ferruginol (11.0%) in twigs; and ferruginol (43.2%) and caryophyllene oxide (12.5%) in cones. The cone oils exhibited the most effective anti-mildew properties on paper. Furthermore, the cone oils were fractionated into six fractions (CO1–CO6), with the CO4 fraction exhibiting the best activity. CO4's main components were ferruginol, caryophyllene oxide, and β-caryophyllene. Ferruginol showed the best anti-mildew performance, with 100% inhibition at 200 μg/cm² for all strains. Conclusion: The study results indicated that essential oils from the cones of T. distichum and ferruginol exhibit promising anti-mildew effects on paper. Therefore, further research and development are highly warranted for their application in inhibiting fungal growth on paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nematicidal efficacy of liquid formulation of Pochonia chlamydosporia, Bacillus subtilis, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Trichoderma viride and vermiculite formulation of Rhizophagus intraradices were challenged against Meloidogyne incognita under glasshouse conditions. The in vivo experiment were piloted to test the potential of these biological agents by soil drenching of liquid formulation @ 1 ml/pot or soil application of vermiculite formulation @ 1g/pot/dose. Their effect was compared with the granular application of Carbofuran @ 1g/pot/dose. All the liquid bioformulations investigated were capable of enhancing plant growth and lowering the pathogenicity and parasitic success of M. incognita in carrots. The soil drenching of P. chlamydosporia caused a significant reduction of galls in the root (51%), nematode population in the root (43.6%), egg mass in the root (65.3%) and infective juvenile population in soil (51.8%) over other treatments and Carbofuran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize cultivation is under the growing threat of charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina). Chemical control of diseases imparts serious health hazards to humans and the ecosystem. Biochar as an alternative disease management approach has been under consideration of the researchers for some time now. The biochar utilized in this study was derived from maize stalks and cobs. Crystallographic structure, inorganic minerals content and size of maize biochar were analyzed by powder X-ray diffractometer, while scanning electron microscopy revealed rough, irregular, tubular structure of the biochar surface. EDX spectra revealed that the maize biochar composition was dominated by 'C' followed by 'O'. The current study was designed to determine the synergistic effect of maize biochar (MB), and biocontrol agent (BCA) Trichoderma viride as soil amendments on the suppression of M. phaseolina. In vitro bioassays were conducted to check the efficiency of antagonistic effect of Trichoderma spp., in combination with maize biochar. On the basis of maximum mycelial growth inhibition T. viride was selected for a glasshouse experiment. Maize plants were grown in pots containing a mixture of soil with MB at application at the rate of 3 and 6% (v/v) separately, associated with or without T. viride. Treatments amended with 3% MB inoculated with M. phaseolina significantly reduced the percentage disease severity index by 40%. While in the presence of T. viride, 3% MB showed maximum disease suppression and a minimum percentage severity index i.e. 60 and 20%, respectively. Highest nitrogen contents were 18.4 g kg−1 observed in treatment 6% MB, while highest phosphorus and potassium contents were 3.11 and 15.2 g kg−1, respectively in the treatment with 3% MB. Conclusively, the effect of variable concentrations of maize biochar and T. viride as soil amendment was evident on the development of charcoal rot, growth and physiology of maize plants. According to the available literature, our report is the first on the implementation of biochar in synergism with T. viride to suppress the charcoal rot in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, five quaternary ammonium salts derived from rosin were synthesized, characterized and their antifungal activities against different molds were studied. Choline quaternary ammonium salt and tetramethylammonium hydroxide were synthesized from dehydroabietic acid and the rosin ethanolamine ester quaternary ammonium salts which are new compounds were synthesized from propylene pimaric acid. Their structures were confirmed by FTIR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and high resolution mass spectrometry. The antifungal activities of the synthesized quaternary ammonium salts from rosin acid were tested by Oxford cup method, and their minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. The results show that quaternary ammonium salts derived from rosin acid have inhibitory effects on bamboo slices to some extent. Among them, propylene pimaric acid ethanolamine ester quaternary ammonium salts (A1 and A2) showed obvious antifungal activity in the Oxford cup test. The Oxford cup activity test and anti-mildew effect of quaternary ammonium salts (B1 and B2) synthesized from rosin acid are significant, and there are almost no mould growth on bamboo slices. It can be inferred that A1, A2, B1 and B2 are expected to be used as bamboo mildew inhibitors. Five quaternary ammonium salts derived from rosin were synthesized and characterized; and their antifungal activities against different molds were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and optimising biological pre‐treatment strategies for enhanced bio‐methane production is a central aspect in second‐generation biofuel research. In this regard, the application of fungi for pre‐treatment seems highly promising; however, understanding the mode of action is crucial. Here, we show how aerobic pre‐treatment of crystalline cellulose with the cellulolytic Trichoderma viride affects substrate degradability during mesophilic, anaerobic digestion. It could be demonstrated that fungal pre‐treatment resulted in a slightly reduced substrate mass. Nevertheless, no significant impact on the overall methane yield was found during batch fermentation. Short chain organic acids accumulation, thus, overall degradation dynamics including methane production kinetics were affected by the pre‐treatment as shown by Gompertz modelling. Finally, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing followed by ANCOM‐BC resulted in up to 53 operative taxonomic units including fermentative, syntrophic and methanogenic taxa, whereby their relative abundances were significantly affected by fungal pre‐treatment depending on the duration of the pre‐treatment. The results demonstrated the impact of soft rot fungal pre‐treatment of cellulose on subsequent anaerobic cellulose hydrolysis as well as on methanogenic activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the direct causal effects of pre‐treatment with T. viride on basic but crucial anaerobic digestion parameters in a highly standardised approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted during 2023 at Bioenergy Laboratory, Department of RBEE, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, CCSHAU, Hisar, Haryana, India. Compositional changes in sugarcane bagasse subjected to varying concentrations of sodium hydroxide (0.3% to 1.2%), revealing significant increases in glucan content (from 37.13% to 53.81%) alongside decreases in xylan, acidinsoluble lignin, acid-soluble lignin, ash, and other extractives. These changes were validated using microscopic technique SEM, confirming the efficacy of the pretreatment process. The utilization of a customized cellulase cocktail derived from Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride holds significant promise in enhancing the saccharification from alkali-pretreated sugarcane bagasse. This study investigates the synergistic effects of cellulase enzymes produced by these fungi on the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. The enzymatic hydrolysis process is optimized by varying enzyme dosages, reaction conditions, and incubation times to maximize the release of fermentable sugars. Results indicate a substantial improvement in saccharification efficiency with the customized cellulase cocktail, highlighting its potential for sustainable biofuel production. The pretreated sugarcane bagasse, when saccharified with Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride individually, released 254.43 mg g-1 and 325.53 mg g-1 of reducing sugars, respectively, after 40 h of incubation. In contrast, the combined enzymatic cocktail achieved a substantial increase in glucose yields (345.12 mg g-1) at 40 h, showcasing the synergistic effect of the combined enzymatic activity. This research contributes to advancing bioconversion technologies for utilizing lignocellulosic biomass resources efficiently and economically, thus addressing key challenges in sustainable energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this survey, two wood-inhabiting species - Xylaria polymorpha and Xylaria longipes (10 strains each) were evaluated in dual culture assay against 6 fungi: Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Fusarium solani, Mucor plumbeus, Penicillium polonicum, and Trichoderma viride. Detailed descriptions of the interspecific interactions, morphological changes and comparison of X. longipes and X polymorpha reaction types with each fungus are provided. The results indicate significant inhibitory activity of both X. longipes and X. polymorpha against A. niger, M. plumbeus, P. polonicum, F. solani, C. albicans with differences in reaction types on a strain specific level. Most commonly, co-cultivating resulted in Xylaria species replacing fungi (60.8% of all interactions), with a partial replacement after initial deadlock with mycelial contact as the most frequent type of interaction. Inhibiting activity at a distance occurred in the majority of dual cultures of X. polymorpha with A. niger and P. polonicum (deadlock at a distance), and X. longipes with M. plumbeus (deadlock at a distance followed by a partial replacement). Among all tested cultures, T. viride turned out to be the only fungus suppressing Xylaria (except for X. polymorpha strains that formed a deadlock at mycelial contact). Based on the listed reaction types, for each studied Xylaria strain antagonism index was calculated, revealing that X polymorpha IBK 2720 had the highest value among all screened strains amounted to 20. The results indicate the effectiveness of Xylaria against tested fungi via contact antagonism and provide valuable insights for further investigations of novel biocontrol agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem rot of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) caused by Scelrotium rolfsii is the main threat to groundnut production, causing significant economic losses. The present study aims to provide an overview of the potentiality of Trichoderma viride (Tv), Trichoderma harzianum (Th), Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf), and Bacillus subtilis (Bs), applied either individually or in mixed combination, against Sclerotium rolfsii (isolate SrBKN). The treatment with T. harzianum and P. fluorescens resulted in the highest mycelial growth inhibition (79.61, 83.51, and 86.77%), followed by T. viride and P. fluorescens (75.74, 79.63, and 83.14%). Under in vitro conditions, the combination of bio-agents at 5% culture filtrate proved to be superior against the test pathogen. Seed treatment and soil application of T. harzianum and Pf at 10 (5 + 5) g kg−1 + 10 (5 + 5) kg ha−1, followed by seed treatment and soil application of T. viride and Pf at 10 (5 + 5) g kg−1 + 10 (5 + 5) kg ha−1, resulted in the lowest disease incidence (7.40 and 8.0%), highest disease control (69.37 and 66.88%), maximum dry weight (151 and 147 g plant−1), highest increase in dry weight (75.58 and 70.93), highest pod yield (2665 and 2498 kg ha−1), and highest increase in pod yield (96.38 and 84.08%) under in vivo conditions. We present an effective bio-control-based management module from the lab to the field for the successful control of groundnut stem rot caused by S. rolfsii. Based on the results, it is concluded that the dual formulation of T. harzianum and P. fluorescens, followed by T. viride and P. fluorescens, were the most effective BCAs in suppressing the S. rolfsii. Therefore, an integrated disease management module with these BCAs needs to be developed and validated with a farmers' participatory mode under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution of arable land with heavy metals is a worldwide problem. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal that poses a severe threat to humans' and animals' health and lives. Plants can easily absorb Cd from the soil, and plant-based food is the main means of exposure to this hazardous element for humans and animals. Phytoremediation is a promising plant-based approach to removing heavy metals from the soil, and plant growth-promoting micro-organisms such as the fungi Trichoderma can enhance the ability of plants to accumulate metals. Inoculation of Avena sativa L. (oat) with Trichoderma viride enhances germination and seedling growth in the presence of Cd and, in this study, the growth of 6-month-old oat plants in Cd-contaminated soil was not increased by inoculation with T. viride, but a 1.7-fold increase in yield was observed. The content of Cd in oat shoots depended on the Cd content in the soil. Still, it was unaffected by the inoculation with T. viride. A. sativa metallothioneins (AsMTs) participate in plant–fungi interaction, however, their role in this study depended on MT type and Cd concentration. The inoculation of A. sativa with T. viride could be a promising approach to obtaining a high yield in Cd-contaminated soil without increasing the Cd content in the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Phosphorus (P) readily forms insoluble complexes in soil, thereby inhibiting the absorption and utilization of this essential nutrient by plants. Phosphorus deficiency can significantly impede the growth of forage grass. While Trichoderma viride (T. viride) has been recognized for promoting the assimilation of otherwise unobtainable nutrients, its impact on P uptake remains understudied. Consequently, it is imperative to gain a more comprehensive insight into the role of T. viride in facilitating the uptake and utilization of insoluble P in forage grass. Methods: This research explored the influence of T. viride inoculation on P absorption and the growth of Chloris virgata (C. virgata) across various P sources. We treated plants with control P (P), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), calcium phytate (PHY), and low P (LP), with and without T. viride inoculation (P+T, TCP+T, PHY+T, LP+T). We analyzed photosynthesis parameters, growth indices, pigment accumulation, P content, leaf acid phosphatase activity. Results: Results demonstrated that T. viride inoculation alleviated inhibition of photosynthesis, reduced leaf acid phosphatase activity, and enhanced growth of C. virgata in the presence of insoluble P sources. Additionally, T. viride inoculation enabled the plants to extract more available P from insoluble P sources, as evidenced by a substantial increase in P content: shoot P content surged by 58.23 to 59.08%, and root P content rose by 55.13 to 55.2%. Biomass P-use efficiency (PUE) declined by 38% upon inoculation with T. viride compared to the noninoculated insoluble P sources, paralleled by a reduction in photosynthetic P-use efficiency (PPUE) by 26 to 29%. Inoculation under insoluble P sources further triggered a lower allocation to root biomass (25 to 26%) and a higher investment in shoot biomass (74 to 75%). However, its application under low P condition curtailed the growth of C. virgata. Discussion: Our results suggest that T. viride inoculation represents an innovative approach for plants to acquire available P from insoluble P sources, thereby promoting growth amid environmental P limitations. This insight is crucial for comprehending the synergy among forage grass, P, and T. viride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The obstacle associated with continuous cropping is an important problem in the production of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). The allelochemicals from root exudates play an active role in root–microbe communication. The primary objective of this study was to delve into the impact of root exudates and the continuous cultivation of muskmelon on the growth and colonization patterns of Trichoderma viride T23. It was observed that the root exudates of muskmelon significantly promoted mycelial growth and the sporulation of Trichoderma viride T23 at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1 g·mL−1, while at a concentration of 0.05 g·mL−1, the enzyme activities of β-glucosidase, chitinase and cellulase were 12.34, 13.23, and 17.85 U·mL−1, respectively, which were higher than those of the control. With increasing concentrations of root exudates, the hyphal growth, spore germination, and the three enzyme activities of Trichoderma viride T23 were decreased. The findings from the pot experiments revealed that the total phenolic acid content in the soil of replanted muskmelon demonstrated a trend of escalating over the course of the first growth cycle of continuous cropping to the fourth growth cycle of continuous cropping. The population density in the rhizosphere soil of Trichoderma viride T23 in the first growth cycle and the second growth cycle of continuous cropping shows a significant difference compared with other treatments, which led to statistically significant increments of stem diameter, leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight and SPAD index. It is necessary to increase the dose of the beneficial microorganism or degrade the phenolics in the rhizosphere soil to promote effectiveness while increasing the growth cycles of continuous cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the pretreatment and characterization of natural fibers from the bamboo shoot shell (BSS) of Phyllostachys heterocycla to determine their suitability as biorefining materials. The discarded bamboo shoot shell was used as a source of fibers, which were analyzed for their physical, chemical, and microstructure properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectra, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that a mixture of sodium hydroxide immersion plus high-pressure steam treatment allowed the cellulose structure to be disrupted, providing more adsorption sites for cellulases. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) also showed that the pretreatment exposed the internal structure of the fibers and that highmass silicon compounds were present in the eluted solution. After adding the cellulase produced by Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus niger, the reducing sugar yield was increased by 268% and 251%, compared to unpretreated BSS fibers. This strategy may apply to many industries, especially biorefining and lignocellulose biotransformation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substrate supplementation and co-cultivation approaches were used to enhance activity of biofungicide Trichoderma viride. Biopesticides were produced using corn cobs (T), corn cobs + 1% keratin (K), corn cobs + 5% lignin (L), and corn cobs + 1% keratin + 5% lignin (K+L). Also, biopesticides were produced through co-culturing with Bacillus subtilis MTCC8142, by sequential inoculation (B+T) and simultaneous inoculation (T3+B2) (B2+T3). The highest spore count was produced by (T3+B2) of 6.25x108 spores/g of substrate, followed by (T) of 6.20x108 spores/g of substrate. GC-MS characterization of ethyl acetate extract of biopesticides revealed different metabolites produced under different conditions. The zone of inhibition of extract was greatest for (T) of 21 mm, followed by (K) of 20.7 mm and for (B2+T3) of 18 mm at 10 mg/mL concentration. (K) and (B2+T3) did not affect antifungal properties; however, other substrate-supplemented and co-cultivated biopesticides decreased them. Competition between two microbes prevented (T3+B2) from producing antimicrobial metabolites; hence, no zone of inhibition was observed. The biopesticides (K), (L) and (B2+T3) significantly enhanced growth of chili plants (Capsicum frutescens L.), outperforming other biopesticides. The production of phthalates, also known as phytotoxins, by B+T resulted in a decrease in plant growth. Adding 1% keratin to corn cobs (K) and (B2+T3) sequential inoculation are best ways to boost plant growth promoting activity of T. viride without affecting its biocontrol activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural protection of plants against diseases, pests and environmental stresses is the only acceptable alternative to the progressive application of chemicals in plant production. Amidst evolving climatic patterns, various diseases pose significant threats to crop plant production. Among these concerns, a prominent menace across multiple regions of the world is seedling blight, incited by the pathogenic agent Bipolaris sorokiniana Sacc. The antagonistic effect may occur in/on the host itself or in its vicinity in the case of saprotrophic organisms. B. sorokiniana attacks many species of crop plants, especially in warmer growing areas and causes significant losses of field emergence and yield. This study aimed to assess the inhibitory impact of selected microscopic fungi on the growth and development of B. sorokiniana through dual-culture experiments. The study also aimed to identify potential fungal candidates for the biocontrol of seedling blight caused by this pathogen. The outcomes demonstrated that only several of the fungi subjected to testing had a noteworthy influence on the growth of B. sorokiniana. The presence of a few fungi species, such as Trichoderma viride, Fusarium graminearum, and Botrytis cinerea led to a decrease in B. sorokiniana growth by a minimum of 50%. In the instance of other fungi such as Sordaria fimicola, Epicoccum nigrum, Fusarium sporotrichioides, F. culmorum, and Nigrospora oryzae, the reduction amounted to at least 40%. The vast majority (75%) of the fungal species used in the test limited the growth of Bipolaris colonies by up to 39%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of different fungal agents on the bacterial community structure and biodiversity in the rhizosphere soil of wheat (Triticum aestivum) infected with cereal cyst nematodes (Heterodera avenae) were analyzed. Field experiments were conducted on plots with severe wheat cyst nematode disease. The control group (X1) was not treated with bacteria. The fungi Trichoderma viride, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Aspergillus niger and T. spinosum were applied to the experimental treatments (X2~X4). The experimental group (X6) was treated with the nematicide abamectin. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to monitor the changes in bacterial community structure and metabolic types in the wheat rhizosphere soil in the six experimental groups. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that the wheat rhizosphere soil bacteria that are pathogens were primarily concentrated in 13 phyla, 26 classes and 98 genera. Among them, the dominant bacteria primarily included Proteus, Actinomyces, Acetobacter and Bacteroides. The analysis of bacterial community metabolic type showed that the bacteria in the wheat rhizosphere soil could fix nitrogen, perform nitrification, reduce nitrate, and photosynthesize when the four groups of fungal agents were added at much higher levels than those of the control group. These metabolic activities contributed to promoting the cycle between nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen to increase soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]