Question

What is the function of substances such as viridin, gliotoxin, and gliovirin produced by Trichoderma species?

Options

• They promote the germination of plant seeds

• They attract beneficial insects to the field

• They enhance nutrient uptake by plant roots

• They inhibit pathogens that attack roots and rhizomes and cause root diseases

Answer 1

Trichoderma species are free-living fungi found in the rhizosphere that produce antifungal substances including viridin, gliotoxin, and gliovirin. These substances inhibit soil-borne and plant pathogenic fungi that attack roots and rhizomes, making Trichoderma an effective biocontrol agent against root diseases.