Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are among the most widely used biologically active agents in sustainable agriculture to combat crop diseases and reduce reliance on synthetic agrochemicals. Given their large-scale production and distribution, it is increasingly important to understand their ecological behaviour and potential environmental impacts. An international study published in Nature Microbiology, involving the University of Pisa, sheds new light on this issue.
The analysis helps explain why Trichoderma is so effective in controlling plant pathogens and provides guidance on how to distinguish strains best suited for agricultural use from those requiring greater caution. The study proposes an approach that combines genomic analysis with the study of ecological behaviour, enabling the identification of species capable of protecting crops without increasing the risks of uncontrolled spread or environmental persistence.
Researchers examined 37 species of Trichoderma, assessing more than 140 biological traits related to metabolism, resistance to environmental stress, dispersal capacity and reproductive strategies. Many of the species analysed are mycoparasitic, meaning they live at the expense of other fungi, most of which are harmful to plants. This ability makes them valuable biological control agents, contributing to the natural limitation of plant diseases.
At the same time, however, the species studied displayed considerable behavioural variability. Some, if not carefully selected, may take advantage of favourable conditions and produce unintended effects, such as spreading beyond the treated area, interfering with other beneficial organisms or causing issues in specific cultivation systems. These risks have been documented mainly in edible mushroom production and only in isolated cases in crop plants. In certain instances, specific species have been associated with plant diseases, problems in mushroom cultivation and, very rarely, human infections in particularly vulnerable individuals.
“This study helps make sustainable agriculture not only more attainable, but also more informed,” explains Sabrina Sarrocco, Professor of Plant Pathology in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Agro-Environmental Sciences at the University of Pisa, recently appointed Vice-President of SIPaV (the Italian Society of Plant Pathology) and among the authors of the study. “It shows that the use of beneficial organisms must be grounded in a thorough understanding of their biological characteristics and their potential long-term effects on the environment and on non-target organisms.”
The article, entitled “Phenogenomics reveals the ecology and evolution of Trichoderma fungi for sustainable agriculture”, was produced within the framework of the Community Science Program of the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, coordinated by the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew), in collaboration with an international network of Trichoderma researchers. The findings are based on laboratory research and natural soil samples, supported by genomic analyses and ecological tests conducted in both forest and agricultural soils.
