Effects of Trichoderma harzianum Strain T22 on the Arthropod Community Associated with Tomato Plants and on the Crop Performance in an Experimental Field

Fungi belonging to the genus have received much attention in recent years due to their beneficial effects on crop health and their use as pest control agents. activates direct plant defenses against phytophagous arthropods and reinforces indirect plant defense through the attraction of predators. Although the plant defenses against insect herbivores were demonstrated in laboratory experiments, little attention has been paid to the use of spp. in open field conditions. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the inoculation of the commercial strain T22 on the arthropod community associated with tomato plants and on the crop performance in an experimental field located in South Italy. Our results showed that inoculation with could alter the arthropod community and reduce the abundance of specific pests under field conditions with respect to the sampling period. The present study also confirmed the beneficial effect of against plant pathogens and on tomato fruit. The complex tomato-arthropod-microorganism interactions that occurred in the field are discussed to enrich our current information on the possibilities of using as a green alternative agent in agriculture.