Trichoderma (Hypocreaceae) Exhibiting Antagonistic Activity Against the Papaya Dieback Pathogen

Erwinia mallotivora, the causal agent of papaya dieback disease. In this study, mycelial suspensions from five rhizospheric Trichoderma isolates were found to exhibit notable antagonism against E. mallotivora during co-cultivation. The genomes of the three most potent Trichoderma isolates through a combination of nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies highlighted potential secondary metabolite pathways that might underpin the antimicrobial properties of these strains. Based on these findings, the fungal isolates are proven to be useful as potential biological control agents against E. mallotivora, and the genomic data opens possibilities to further explore the underlying molecular mechanisms behind the antimicrobial activity with potential synthetic biology applications.