evaluating the diversity of chit18-5 gene region across trichoderma species for effective biocontrol strategies

Trichoderma species are widely used as biological agents to control plant diseases. chitinases are crucial in mycoparasitism and defense against other fungi or arthropods. in this study, we evaluated 41 amino acid sequences related to the chit18-5 gene from four sections and 15 trichoderma species. the conserved domains, motifs, and phylogenetic tree were analyzed using the interproscan database, cobalt tool, meme v5.5.1 software, clustalw algorithm, and mega11 software. the results showed that the gene region under investigation can effectively distinguish different trichoderma species and is an effective tool for optimizing biocontrol strategies. this study highlights the potential of exploring genetic diversity as a means of identifying new solutions for managing pests and diseases in agriculture. the putative motifs of chitinase proteins identified in this study may participate in trichoderma antagonistic activities