Fungal Genomics

Organism description

Trichoderma harzianum is a ubiquitous, ascomycete fungus that has been isolated from soil, decaying plant material and from living stem tissues of plants. Moreover, it is a mycoparasite of numerous mushroom-forming fungi. For example, it causes green mold disease during cultivation of the white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus. It produces an arsenal of secondary metabolites that in nature are used to compete with interactors, with counts reaching almost 100. Because of this capability, it is commonly used as bio-control agent or as plant growth enhancer.

Figure. Trichoderma harzianum (upper right corner) during interaction with the mushroom-forming fungus Schizophyllum commune (lower left corner)