Trichoderma: AGRICULTURAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE, AND FERMENTATION SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS AND ENZYMES OF INDUSTRIAL INTEREST

Abstract

Trichoderma is a cosmopolitan fungus, which has the ability to adapt and produce metabolites such as enzymes, plant growth promoting compounds, and volatile compounds of biotechnological and environmental interest. This genus is used as a biocontrol agent against phytopathogenic fungi due to multiple mechanisms of action such as antibiosis, mycoparasitism, competition for space and nutrients, and the production of secondary metabolites. Likewise, several Trichoderma species have been used in coupled systems of fermentation in solid substrates or submerged cultures, to degrade lignocellulosic residues and to generate alternative energies such as ethanol. Bioreactors as fermentation systems optimize the cultural conditions to favor the generation of biomass and metabolites. Therefore, the present work reviews recent reports on the use of Trichoderma in systems for producing and generating important byproducts for agriculture and biotechnology.