Biocontrol Strategies Against Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Using Trichoderma spp.: Mechanisms, Applications, and...

Plant-parasitic nematodes represent a significant threat to agriculture, causing substantial economic losses worldwide. Among the biological alternatives for their control, the genus Trichoderma has emerged as a promising solution for suppressing various nematode species. This article reviews key studies on the interaction between Trichoderma spp. and plant-parasitic nematodes, highlighting the most studied species such as Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma virens, and Trichoderma viride, mainly against the genera Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Globodera, and Heterodera. Trichoderma spp. act through mechanisms such as mycoparasitism, antibiosis, competition for space in the rhizosphere, production of lytic enzymes, and modulation of plant defense responses. They also produce metabolites that affect nematode mobility, reproduction, and survival, such as gliotoxin, viridin and cyclosporine A. In addition, they secrete enzymes such as chitinases, proteases, lipases, and glucanases, which degrade the cuticle of nematodes and their eggs. Furthermore, Trichoderma spp. induce systemic resistance in plants through modulation of phytohormones such as jasmonic acid, ethylene, salicylic acid and auxins. The use of Trichoderma in integrated nematode management enables its application in combination with crop rotation, organic amendments, plant extracts, and resistant varieties, thereby reducing the reliance on synthetic nematicides and promoting more sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.