The key difference between Trichoderma and Trichogramma is that Trichoderma is a genus of fungi in the family of Hypocreaceae, while Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps under the family of Trichogrammatidae.
Biopesticides are biological substances damaging, killing, or repelling the organisms that are identified as pests. Biopesticides are preferred over chemicals for several reasons, including their lack of harmful effects on the ecosystem, target specificity, environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, etc. In the last decade, various biopesticides, including Trichoderma, Gliocladium, Paecilomyces, Pseudomonas, Trichogramma, NPV, and Bacillus, have been utilized for insect pest control. Specifically, Trichoderma and Trichogramma are distinct biopesticides employed to manage insect pests and their associated diseases.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Trichoderma
3. What is Trichogramma
4. Similarities – Trichoderma and Trichogramma
5. Trichoderma vs. Trichogramma in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Trichoderma and Trichogramma
7. Summary – Trichoderma vs. Trichogramma
What is Trichoderma?
Trichoderma is a popular genus of fungi. The species of this genus is usually present in all types of soils and is known as the most prevalent culturable fungi. Most of the species in this genus are also opportunistic, avirulent plant symbionts. Several Trichoderma strains are already being used as biocontrol agents against plant fungal diseases. These strains use several mechanisms, such as antibiosis, parasitism, inducing host-plant resistance, and competition.
Figure 01: Trichoderma
Trichoderma species are very important in medicine as well. This is because Cyclosporine A (CsA), a calcineurin inhibitor produced by the fungi Trichoderma polysporum is used as an immunosuppressant to prevent rejection in organ transplant. However, some species of Trichoderma cause plant diseases such as green mold in button mushrooms, green mold rot in onion, dieback of Pinus nigra seedlings, and diseases in humans such as nerve conduction defects.
What is Trichogramma?
Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps that are normally endoparasitoids of insect eggs. There are over 200 species identified in this genus. Wolbachia is a bacterium that has been observed in Trichogramma wasps. Wolbachia bacteria cause infected females to asexually produce fertile females and nonfunctional males.
Figure 02: Trichogramma
Trichogramma species have been used for lepidopteran insect pest control for many years. Furthermore, they are also of interest in neuroscience research as these species have fewer than 10,000 neurons yet exhibit complex behaviors to sustain their lives.
What are the Similarities Between Trichoderma and Trichogramma?
- Trichoderma and Trichogramma are two genera that contain species that can be used as biopesticides or biocontrol agents.
- The species of both genera normally do not cause any harmful effect on the ecosystem.
- They are normally environmentally friendly.
- The species of both genera are industrially very useful.
What is the Difference Between Trichoderma and Trichogramma?
Trichoderma is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae while Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps under the family of Trichogrammatidae. This is the key difference between Trichoderma and Trichogramma. Furthermore, species of Trichoderma are normally found in soil, while species of Trichogramma are normally found as endoparasitoids of insect eggs.
The infographic below presents the differences between Trichoderma and Trichogramma in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Trichoderma and Trichogramma
Is Trichogramma a biocontrol agent?
Trichogramma species act as biological controlling agents. They are endoparasites of lepidopteran eggs.
Is Trichoderma used for seed treatment?
Trichoderma can be used for seed treatments, which gives beneficial effects like plant growth promotion, stress tolerance, and control of pathogenic fungi.
Can we spray Trichoderma on plants?
Trichoderma liquids can be used as foliar sprays.
Summary – Trichoderma vs. Trichogramma
Biopesticides are natural, biologically occurring substances or organisms that are used to control various agricultural pests affecting plants in forests, gardens, and farmland. Therefore, biopesticides are living things that are found in nature. Trichoderma and Trichogramma are two genera that contain species that can be used as biopesticides or biocontrol agents. However, Trichoderma is a genus of fungi, while Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps. This summarizes the difference between Trichoderma and Trichogramma.
Reference:
1. “Trichogramma – An Overview.” ScienceDirect.
2. “Trichoderma | Mycology.” University of Adelaide.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Trichogramma parasitizing FAW eggs” By International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DEED)
2. “Trichoderma fujianense (10.3897-mycokeys.26.14919) Figure 2” By Zhu Z-X, Xu H-X, Zhuang W-Y, Li Y (2017) Two new green-spored species of Trichoderma (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) and their phylogenetic positions. MycoKeys 26: 61-75. – (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia