Engineering <i>Trichoderma</i>-mediated plant defense against bacterial phytopathogens: Micro-and nanobiotechnological strategies

Zaryab Shafi; Mohammad Shahid; Atul Singh; G. Bhupal Raj; Akhtar Rasool; Zaryab Shafi; Mohammad Shahid; Atul Singh; G. Bhupal Raj; Akhtar Rasool

doi:10.3934/microbiol.2026002

AIMS Microbiology

2026, Volume 12, Issue 1: 27-62. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2026002

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Review

Engineering Trichoderma-mediated plant defense against bacterial phytopathogens: Micro-and nanobiotechnological strategies

1.
Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh-226026, India
2.
Marwadi University Research Center, Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, Marwadi University, Rajkot-360003, Gujarat, India
3.
Department of Agriculture, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Green Fields, Vaddeshwaram, A.P.-522302, India
4.
School of Agriculture, SR University, Warangal-506371
5.
Indonesia Research Center for Molecular Chemistry- National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Tangerang, Province of Banten, 15314, Indonesia
6.
Department of Biotechnology, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana, India

Received: 26 September 2025 Revised: 13 January 2026 Accepted: 22 January 2026 Published: 11 February 2026

Bacterial phytopathogens such as Ralstonia, Xanthomonas, and Pectobacterium pose a serious threat to global food security, while overuse of chemical pesticides has led to resistance and environmental concerns. Trichoderma, traditionally known for antifungal activity, is emerging as a versatile antagonist of bacterial diseases through antibacterial metabolites, immune response, nutrient competition, and rhizosphere modulation. Multi-omics advances have revealed novel biosynthetic gene clusters and host interaction mechanisms, while CRISPR-based genome editing and synthetic biology approaches are enabling the tailored strains with enhanced biocontrol efficiency. Nanotechnology further contributes by facilitating nanoparticle-mediated biosynthesis and controlled-release formulations, improving stability and targeted field delivery. Despite remaining challenges related to field translation, biosafety, and regulation, the integration of omics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology establishes Trichoderma as a next-generation platform for sustainable and precision crop protection.
- Trichoderma,
- multi-omics,
- CRISPR,
- secondary metabolites,
- nanoparticle biosynthesis,
- translational bottlenecks
Citation: Zaryab Shafi, Mohammad Shahid, Atul Singh, G. Bhupal Raj, Akhtar Rasool. Engineering Trichoderma-mediated plant defense against bacterial phytopathogens: Micro-and nanobiotechnological strategies[J]. AIMS Microbiology, 2026, 12(1): 27-62. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2026002

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Abstract

Bacterial phytopathogens such as Ralstonia, Xanthomonas, and Pectobacterium pose a serious threat to global food security, while overuse of chemical pesticides has led to resistance and environmental concerns. Trichoderma, traditionally known for antifungal activity, is emerging as a versatile antagonist of bacterial diseases through antibacterial metabolites, immune response, nutrient competition, and rhizosphere modulation. Multi-omics advances have revealed novel biosynthetic gene clusters and host interaction mechanisms, while CRISPR-based genome editing and synthetic biology approaches are enabling the tailored strains with enhanced biocontrol efficiency. Nanotechnology further contributes by facilitating nanoparticle-mediated biosynthesis and controlled-release formulations, improving stability and targeted field delivery. Despite remaining challenges related to field translation, biosafety, and regulation, the integration of omics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology establishes Trichoderma as a next-generation platform for sustainable and precision crop protection.

Acknowledgments

The author ZS is thankful to Integral University, Lucknow, India for providing necessary facilities.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Author contributions

Zaryab Shafi: Data curation; Formal analysis; Software; Methodology. Mohammad Shahid: Conceptualization; Software; Writing - original draft; Writing—review & editing. Atul Singh: Data curation; Writing—original draft. G. Bhupal Raj: Software; Writing—original draft. Akhtar Rasool: Writing—review & editing.

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