Selection of a biocontrol agent based on a comparative spore production evaluation

In recent years, the control of plant pests and diseases has faced new eco-friendly protocols and the use of biocontrol is an attractive alternative as a green and safer management strategy. The use of biological control agents (BCAs) is a major emerging tool in the field of crop disease or pest management that provides an opportunity to replace chemical pesticides that promote sustainable agriculture. Trichoderma species are one of the most efficient BCAs, and the search for new, more bioactive, virulent, and efficient species is a permanent task. In the present study, the potential for biocontrol of four strains of the Trichoderma genus isolated from Coahuila semi-desert was evaluated. The evaluated criteria were: radial growth, growth velocity, and growth rate, as well as the PDA sporulation level. The T1DIA-RRG strain achieves maximum growth at 60 h in radial growth, and a growth rate of 0.60 mm/h in antagonist assays, while T4DIA-ARG strain generates the major spore production (1 × 10 8 spores/g). In addition, a solid-state fermentation process with sugar cane bagasse is proposed to develop biotechnological strategies for biological control agents, which show satisfactory results for fungal strain Trichoderma asperellum T4DIA-ARD with the required spore production level to be considered and used as a greenhouse biocontrol agent.