New Insights on the Duality of Trichoderma as a Phytopathogen Killer and a Plant Protector Based on an Integrated Multi-omics Perspective

The Trichoderma genus is cosmopolitan soil filamentous fungi. Several members of this genus produce a huge amount of secondary metabolites of industrial and medical interest, and are used as biocontrol agents of plant diseases due they behave as mycophagous as well as plant growth stimulators. Furthermore, plant root colonization by Trichoderma spp. induces the plant systemic disease resistance against a wide range of phytopathogens by modulating their phytohormone homeostasis, which also contributes to better assimilate nutrients from the soil. In the last years, the use of “omics” approaches has led to unveiling important players that participate in the different attributes these fungi possess. This review will deal with the “omics” technologies used to figure out the intricate mechanisms these fungi employ during their different lifestyles.