The chemical blueprint of Trichoderma for next-generation microbial biostimulants

Microbial biostimulants comprise beneficial microorganisms, such as Bacillus and Trichoderma, that enhance plant growth, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance through biological mechanisms. The combined use of Bacillus and Trichoderma is increasingly recognised as an important strategy for enhanced crop productivity and sustainable agriculture. However, the compatibility of microorganisms is constrained by their distinct ecological niche and metabolic activities, which may limit the stability of consortia.

To characterize the biochemical landscape of Trichoderma strains and evaluate their metabolic compatibility with the Bacillus consortium.

Metabolites were extracted from each Trichoderma strain using LC-MS grade quality methanol. The methanolic extracts were analysed on a UPLC-MS system. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were performed to assess sample clustering and overall metabolic variation among Trichoderma strains. Feature-based molecular networking was used for metabolite annotation of Trichoderma's chemical space. Functional analysis was used to map annotated metabolites in the metabolic pathways of Trichoderma strains.

The findings revealed distinct metabolic markers, including primary and secondary metabolites. The sphingolipid metabolism was significantly impacted, among others. The in vitro studies revealed a positive interaction with no evidence of antagonism between Trichoderma strains and the Bacillus consortium.

The major constraint of biostimulant application is the lack of standardisation in product composition. Therefore, these findings provide insights into the molecular composition and functional dynamics of microbial networks. Such knowledge is crucial and essential for the development of cutting-edge innovations in the field of biostimulants.