Trichoderma Species from Soil of Pernambuco State, Brazil

Trichoderma is an important fungal genus, known mainly for its potential for the biological control of phytopathogens. Accurate identification of these fungi is essential for research and applications involving them, to be addressed correctly. The objectives of this study were to isolate, identify, and report the species richness of Trichoderma species that occur in the soil of different regions of Pernambuco, Brazil. DNA sequences of portions of the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) gene region were generated for 56 isolates of Trichoderma, obtained from the Zona da Mata, Agreste, and Sertão regions of Pernambuco. According to the phylogenetic analysis based on these sequences, these fungi belong to two Sections-Trichoderma (35 isolates) and Pachybasidium (21 isolates). These fungi have been resolved in nine species, including Trichoderma afroharzianum, Trichoderma asperelloides, Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma koningiopsis, and five possible new species to be confirmed in further studies. This study shows that the soils of Pernambuco host a diversity of Trichoderma species and consequently of biological resources with potential for application in agriculture.