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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbe and Virus Interactions with Plants
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1583114
This article is part of the Research TopicUnravelling Microbial Interactions in Plant Health and Disease DynamicsView all 15 articles
Synergistic Effect of Trichoderma and Biochar on Biocontrol of Two Soil-borne Phytopathogens in Chickpea
Provisionally accepted- 1School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
- 2College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 3Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
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This study aims to identify and characterize four Trichoderma isolates using molecular techniques, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) profiling.The antagonistic activity of these isolates was assessed against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri (FOC) and Sclerotium rolfsii (SR) using a dual culture technique. The synergistic effect of Trichoderma harzianum (accession no. PP256488) combined with biochar (BC) was evaluated for plant growth enhancement and disease suppression. Four Trichoderma isolates (T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. virens, and T. lixii) were identified through ITS region analysis, VOC profiling, and FTIR spectroscopy. Molecular analysis confirmed their distinct identities, and GC-MS analysis revealed 37 VOCs out of 162 with antipathogenic properties. Unique FTIR peaks were recorded at 3271.96 cm⁻¹ for T. virens, 2800-2900 cm⁻¹ for T. asperellum, and 2850-2950 cm⁻¹ for both T. lixii and T. harzianum. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of T. harzianum revealed mycoparasitic structures, including hyphal coils, penetration holes, and appressoria, indicating effective pathogen interaction. The combined application of Trichoderma and biochar (T9) significantly enhanced root length (9.23 cm), plant height (26.03 cm), and root mass (43.33 g) in chickpea plants. Moreover, treatments (T9) and (T10) reduced the disease incidence in chickpeas, decreasing fusarium wilt by 27% and collar rot by 33%, respectively. This sustainable approach exhibits the potential of combined application of Trichoderma and biochar which can enhance plant growth and reduce disease incidence, and improve food security.
Keywords: FTIR-ATR Spectroscopy, Spectral signature, SEM, Trichoderma, Biochar (BC)
Received: 25 Feb 2025; Accepted: 10 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kumari, Kumar, Koul, Abul Farah and Mishra. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Bhupendra Koul, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, 144 411, Punjab, India
Awdhesh Kumar Mishra, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
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