Trichoderma Biological Control Agent: Phylogeny to Formulation

Trichoderma Biological Control Agent discusses the biology and physiology of Trichoderma, beginning with its discovery in nature and continuing through its application in industrial organic agriculture production. It highlights the features of Trichoderma , enabling the reader to identify strains with the best parameters for a given scenario and guide their preparation for commercialization as protective agents against fungal phytopathogens and biostimulators, in particular, for plant crops. Trichoderma spp. are filamentous rhizosphere fungi known for their ability to colonize plant roots and promote resistance. They are a dominant component of numerous soil ecosystem mycobiomes, and knowledge of their features, such as secondary metabolite production and interactions with plants and other microbes, is crucial for identifying effective applications in agriculture. The coverage of both direct and indirect biocontrol capabilities against a vast array of soil phytopathogens makes this book a valuable resource for researchers and academics seeking to improve their effective application in sustainable plant health and agriculture.

Table of Contents:
1. Trichoderma biology: history, phylogeny, cataloguing, and morphological characteristics 2. Biodiversity of Trichoderma across geographic regions and molecular tools in its genetic characterization 3. Potential elicitor proteins/secondary metabolites of Trichoderma genomes and their functional features 4. Trichoderma-induced plant growth and systemic-induced response: physiology and genealogy 5. Trichoderma-induced defense signaling network in plants and gene expression studies 6. Role of Trichoderma in the intricate network of interactions between plants, soil, and pathogens 7. Significance of Trichoderma in soil and plant health management 8. Biostimulant and biofertilizer activities of Trichoderma and their mechanisms 9. Trichoderma-mediated nanoformulations and their roles in plant health 10. Trichoderma and its applications: insights into their socioeconomic impact

About the Author :
Dr. Sudisha Jogaiah is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (FNASc), the Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS), and the National Academy of Biological Sciences (FNABS). He is also a Bridge Fellow, Government of Japan, and serves as a Visiting Professor at Yamaguchi University, Japan, and Nanjing Agricultural University, China. In 2022, he joined the Department of Environmental Science at the Central University of Kerala as an Associate Professor. He has been listed among the World's Top 2% of Scientists by Stanford University for 3 consecutive years. His research interests include plant pathology, plant–microbe interactions, plant defense signaling, biocontrol agents, biogenic nanoparticles for induced resistance in plants, and bioremediation. The technological quality and scientific rigor of his laboratory are evident from his extensive publication record and the prestigious national and international awards received. Dr. Boregowda Nandini has expertise in plant pathology, nanotechnology, mycology, host–pathogen interactions, and biopesticides. She has been awarded with National Post-Doctoral Fellowship for best research aptitude and publications. She actively contributes to scientific publications and her academic work have been recognized with several honors. She has deposited over 120 fungal gene sequences in the NCBI database and is proficient in various aspects of biotechnology, seed technology, and nanotechnology, demonstrating a strong interdisciplinary research profile. Dr Savitha De Britto is the Executive Dean of the School of Science and Technology at the University of Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She holds a PhD in biotechnology and specializes in microbiology and plant pathology. With over 15 years of teaching experience at the University of Goroka, she has held positions as Head of Department and Research Postgraduate Coordinator before being promoted to Executive Dean. Her research interests encompass plant biotechnology, plant pathology, and microbiology, with a particular focus on fungal diseases in food crops and applying naturally occurring fungi as biocontrol agents. She is is a prolific author and holds a joint patent for a novel methodology for developing mycogenic selenium nanoparticles as potential new-generation broad-spectrum antifungal molecules. A recent collaborative STEM Education research project with Queensland University of Technology, Australia, concluded with a publication in Discover Education, a Springer Nature journal. Additionally, she has served as a peer reviewer for various international journals, including Analytical Biochemistry, PMPP, PLOS ONE, Plant Disease, and Discover Nano.