Impact of a Trichoderma volatile organic compound on moisture stressed plants - a glasshouse study

Abstract

Drought stress causes significant reductions in crop yields and sustainability. This study investigated the impact of a Trichoderma volatile organic compound (VOC) on pasture plant resilience to moisture stress under glasshouse conditions. The VOC was applied to perennial ryegrass and white clover seeds in a polymer. Emergence was delayed slightly in both species by the VOC treatment, but this had no negative impact on subsequent plant biomass in non-moisture stressed plants. When plants were not watered for ten days, control plants wilted severely while plants grown from VOC treated seeds did not. For perennial ryegrass plants the VOC treatment significantly increased plant biomass (by 6%) and for a combination of perennial ryegrass and white clover the increase was 15%. Post drought leaf chlorophyl content as measured by SPAD was also 14% and 18% higher in VOC treated ryegrass and the combination, respectively, than the control plants. These preliminary results suggest a role for this VOC in mitigating the impacts of moisture stress in temperate pasture plants.