Native Trichoderma Strains Suppress Tomato Fungal Pathogen and Cut Mycotoxin Levels

A new study published in BMC Biotechnology reports that indigenous Trichoderma strains isolated from tomato rhizosphere soil can suppress Fusarium verticillioides, a phytopathogenic fungus that infects tomato fruits and produces the mycotoxin fumonisin B1, while also improving plant growth and reducing toxin accumulation in seeds. The research, led by Modupe Doris Ajiboye and Segun Gbolagade Jonathan, evaluated the antagonistic, plant growth-promoting and antitoxigenic potential of four native Trichoderma isolates against a toxigenic F. verticillioides strain associated with tomato production.

The four Trichoderma strains were identified by ITS sequencing as Trichoderma viride Pr-1, T. viride Sc-1, T. viride Trico, and T. asperellum M23. The pathogen, isolated from diseased tomato fruits, was identified as Fusarium verticillioides Old3. The team then ran two complementary experimental systems: dual-culture assays to measure direct antagonism between the fungi on agar, and greenhouse experiments with tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) of the cultivar UC82B to assess growth, reproductive performance and fumonisin B1 accumulation under more realistic conditions.

In the dual-culture assays, all four Trichoderma strains significantly inhibited the growth of F. verticillioides. The strongest antagonists were T. viride Pr-1, which inhibited 80% of pathogen growth, and T. viride Trico, which achieved 78% inhibition.

The greenhouse phase told a more detailed story. Plants inoculated with F. verticillioides alone showed significantly reduced growth and biomass accumulation compared with healthier treatments, confirming the pathogen’s impact on the crop. When the Trichoderma strains were applied, vegetative growth and reproductive performance improved markedly. Plants received the pathogen at two inoculum concentrations, designated C1 and C2, corresponding to 1 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁷ spores per millilitre respectively, allowing the researchers to compare performance across infection pressures.

The best individual outcomes were spread across different strains and concentrations. Plants treated with Pr-1 at the higher concentration (Pr-1C2) produced the tallest plants, reaching 24.10 centimetres. TricoC2 produced the largest leaf area at 19.65 square centimetres. The greatest fruit weight, 18.77 grams, was recorded in the Sc-1C2 treatment, while Pr-1C1 delivered the highest shoot biomass at 11.11 grams and the highest root biomass at 9.78 grams. No single strain dominated every measured trait, suggesting that different isolates excel at different aspects of plant performance.

The most striking results concerned the mycotoxin itself. Fumonisin B1 concentrations in tomato seeds were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), a sensitive analytical method capable of detecting the toxin at low levels. Plants inoculated with the pathogen alone accumulated the highest FB1 concentrations: 34.91 micrograms per kilogram at the lower inoculum concentration (Old3C1) and 38.01 micrograms per kilogram at the higher concentration (Old3C2).

Co-inoculation with T. asperellum M23 completely eliminated detectable FB1, reducing seed concentrations to 0.00 micrograms per kilogram. The remaining Trichoderma treatments also significantly reduced FB1 accumulation relative to the pathogen-only control, although they did not eliminate the toxin entirely. This separation between antagonistic strength and antitoxigenic performance is notable: Pr-1 was the strongest inhibitor of fungal growth in culture, yet M23 was the most effective at preventing detectable fumonisin accumulation in seeds, showing that suppressing visible fungal growth and blocking toxin production are related but distinct outcomes.

The authors conclude that the indigenous Trichoderma strains effectively suppressed F. verticillioides, enhanced tomato growth and productivity, and reduced fumonisin contamination. They highlight T. viride Pr-1 as exhibiting the greatest antagonistic and plant growth-promoting activity, while T. asperellum M23 stood out for eliminating detectable FB1 accumulation. According to the study, these findings demonstrate the potential of native Trichoderma isolates as environmentally sustainable biocontrol agents for improving tomato productivity while enhancing food safety through mitigation of mycotoxin contamination.

Subject of Research: Antagonistic and antitoxigenic effects of native Trichoderma strains against a toxigenic Fusarium verticillioides infecting tomato

Article Title: Evaluation of the antagonistic and antitoxigenic effects of selected Trichoderma strains against toxigenic fungus associated with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L)

Article References: Ajiboye, M. D., & Jonathan, S. G. (2026). Evaluation of the antagonistic and antitoxigenic effects of selected Trichoderma strains against toxigenic fungus associated with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L). BMC Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12896-026-01227-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12896-026-01227-w

Keywords: Trichoderma, Fusarium verticillioides, tomato, fumonisin B1, mycotoxins, biocontrol, plant growth promotion, dual-culture assay, greenhouse experiment, LC-MS/MS, food safety, Evaluation