Brazilian Anvisa opens public consultation on Trichoderma hamatum

The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa, has opened a period for comments regarding including Trichoderma hamatum in the List of Active Ingredients for Pesticides (Normative Instruction - IN 103/2021).

Indigo Brazil Agricultura Ltda submitted the request, which included this fungus genus (Strain SYM37537) in the fungicide Biotrinsic D451 FP.

The pesticide is meant to control various pathogens, including root rot (Fusarium verticillioides); red root rot, fusarium wilt (Fusarium solani); black root rot, gray stem rot (Macrophomina phaseolina); root rot (Phytophthora sojae); damping-off, watery rot, seedling blight (Rhizoctonia solani); white mold, Sclerotinia rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum); and Diplodia rot, white ear rot (Stenocarpella maydis).

Including Trichoderma hamatum in the list of Normative Instruction 103/2021 is one of the requirements for obtaining registration and subsequent commercialization for farmers.

According to scientific literature, Trichoderma is a genus of fungi present in most types of soil. Its species attack various organic materials, and their degradative activities produce a range of potentially useful enzymes and secondary metabolites.

Some species have been developed as biocontrol agents because they possess antagonistic properties against plant pathogens. Moreover, certain species are used as plant growth stimulators.

Trichoderma hamatum, in particular, exhibits antimicrobial, antioxidant, and plant growth-promoting activities, among others. Additionally, it shows resistance to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and DDT degradation by certain enzymes that degrade polysaccharides.

While not the subject of a registration request, scientific studies indicate the possibility of the entomopathogenic use of Trichoderma hamatum. The fungus has been successful against Spodoptera littoralis (cotton leafworm), and there is potential against other lepidopteran pests. 

According to the authors, "it is concluded that T. hamatum has entomopathogenic capability against S. littoralis larvae through direct infection by spores at levels similar to the commercial fungus Beauveria bassiana, possibly infecting through natural openings."

Comments can be submitted through the Anvisa website: http://antigo.anvisa.gov.br/consultas-publicas#/.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)