Chemotaxonomic Profiling of Trichoderma Species From the Brazilian Amazon

Trichoderma is a genus of interest to researchers from various areas due to its species diversity, biotechnological importance, and applications. The present study aimed at the grouping and characterization of 37 Trichoderma species through morphological, molecular, and chemotaxonomic analysis of the fungus obtained in different tropical habitats. The lineages were evaluated with concatenated phylogenetic analysis through the sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and portions of the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1-α). From the 37 strains of Trichoderma, 9 species groups were obtained, namely, T. asperellum (2), T. harzianum (9), T. lentiforme (12), T. spirale (1), T. koningiopsis (2), T. atroviride (3), T. asperelloides (2), T. afroharzianum (4), and T. reesei (2). A Clonostachys rosea strain was used as an outgroup. T. lentiforme and T. harzianum stood out, with more than 50% of all strains studied and identified. The work done indicates the high diversity of Trichoderma species from the Amazon. The chemometric data showed the chemical correlations and intraspecific similarities among the species of Trichoderma through its intracellular and extracellular metabolites, as the main ions are in common and chemical proximity between species of the same clade.