Metabolites secreted by native isolates of Trichoderma spp. and their antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, pathogens of pepper
Keywords:
biological control, phytopathogens, antibiosis, natural products, mycotoxinsAbstract
Pepper (Capsicum spp.), a horticultural crop of wide distribution and easy handling that represents a key source of income for small and medium producers, sees its production threatened by phytopathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, responsible for root rot and white mold, respectively. Trichoderma spp., fungi widely recognized for their antagonistic capacity, are effectively used as biological control agents due to mechanisms such as competition, antibiosis, and mycoparasitism. The objective of the study was to evaluate the production of metabolites by native isolates of Trichoderma spp. and determine their antifungal activity against R. solani and S. sclerotiorum. All the organic extracts evaluated showed some degree of antifungal activity. In particular, the organic extract of the isolate Trichoderma sp. FCQ14 completely inhibited the growth of both pathogens, while the extract of T. asperellum FCQ42 achieved 100% inhibition against S. sclerotiorum. In the extract of Trichoderma sp. FCQ14, a major compound was identified whose spectroscopic properties match those of trichodermin, a trichothecene known to inhibit protein synthesis in eukaryotes. This metabolite is suggested to be responsible for the observed antifungal activity.
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