Journal of Plant Pathology (2002) 84, p. 199 (Woo et al.)

S.L. Woo, M. Ruocco, S. Lanzuise, V. Scala, F. Vinale, F. Scala and M. Lorito (2002)
Genetic improvement of antagonistic fungi and their ability to induce systemic disease resistance in the plant
Journal of Plant Pathology 84 (3), 199-199
IX Meeting, Italian Society for Plant Pathology
Abstract: The interaction between Trichoderma spp., other soil or leaf microbes (including phytopathogens) and the plant is much more complex than it was thought. These beneficial fungi seem to have the remarkable ability to function at the same time both as microbial antagonists and plant symbionts, by using a variety of molecular factors and specialized structures. For example, seed treatments with various Trichoderma strains provide increased resistance to infection on the leaves by Botrytis cinerea. Recent understanding of the mechanisms of fungal antagonism at the molecular level is providing new tools to genetically improve the performance of biocontrol agents. A number of antifungal compounds have been identified and their specific role assessed by gene disruption. Further, a few promoters induced during mycoparasitism and biocontrol have been cloned and characterized, and they can be used to express in an inducible manner foreign genes that may augment biocontrol ability. For instance, we have expressed in T. atroviride a gene of Aspergillus nidulans encoding for a glucose oxidase under a biocontrol-related promoter, and have obtained mutants more powerful than the wild type both in pathogen biocontrol and induction of systemic disease resistance in the plant.
Database assignments for author(s): Sheridan L. Woo, Francesco Vinale, Felice Scala

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
genetical engin./transgenic plants

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Botrytis cinerea
Trichoderma atroviride (antagonist)	Botrytis cinerea