Comparative Efficacy of Different Trichoderma Species in Suppressing Soil-Borne Pathogens of Major Food Crops

Soil-borne pathogens cause severe yield losses in many economically important crops. In the search for sustainable and eco-friendly plant protection strategies, Trichoderma species have emerged as prominent biocontrol agents. This review compares the efficacy of various Trichoderma species, including T. harzianum, T. viride, T. asperellum, and T. atroviride, against major soil-borne pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria brassicae, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium sclerotium, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Pythium spp. The review looks at antagonism mechanisms like mycoparasitism, antibiosis, enzyme production, and induced systemic resistance. It also investigates the role of species-specific characteristics in pathogen suppression, focusing on host specificity, rhizosphere competence, and environmental adaptability. Field trial data and laboratory studies are combined to determine the comparative effectiveness and applicability of these biocontrol agents.