## 4 Conclusions  
The use of _Trichoderma_ spp. as a biological alternative to the use of chemical pesticides is of great interest and is at the center of the debate within the scientific community. The PCA biplot statistical technique, as part of data mining, allowed us to identify that the mycelial characteristics of each _Trichoderma_ species do not directly correlate with their ability to antagonize the development of pathogenic microorganisms. The variability of mycelial characteristics and the antagonistic capacity of _Trichoderma_ spp. cultured in the two-culture media (PDA, MEA) could be attributed to the influence of the nutritional composition on the development of the fungi. On the one hand, the growth of the _Trichoderma_ strain E22 in PDA culture medium presented the highest antagonist activity; meanwhile, four _Trichoderma_ strains (E25, E29, E30, E39) grown in MEA nutrient medium exhibited the highest inhibitory potential against phytopathogens. The potential of _Trichoderma_ as a biological control was evaluated in the open field by applying biopreparations based on the strains with the best in vitro characteristics in cocoa plantations, with which it was obtained that the T3 treatment, formulated with spores of the _Trichoderma_ E29 strain, had the higher efficiency rate, a lower incidence of moniliasis and a higher cocoa yield value in the experiment, unlike the control treatment that had a higher incidence with lower yield. The contribution of this research will serve as a basis for evaluating the effect of _Trichoderma_ as a biological control agent against moniliasis under different combinations of culture media, from the perspective of multivariate statistics. The present research encountered certain limitations, which led to the identification of future perspectives and aspects that would be advisable to address in subsequent studies in this field. Limitations:  
1. The number of _Trichoderma_ strains used in this study was small and may not represent the total diversity that exists in different regions and conditions. 2. The study did not diversify the cultivation conditions of _Trichoderma_, limiting itself to the use of two different culture media (PDA and MEA). 3. The application of biopreparations in the field was conducted on a single farm; thus, these results do not guarantee replicability on farms in different localities under varying agronomic conditions. 4. The monitoring period for the application of biopreparations in the field was limited to five months; therefore, the sustainability of _Trichoderma_ usage was not determined. Future perspectives:  
1. Diversify the _Trichoderma_ strains by testing samples from a wide variety of regions to obtain a more accurate understanding of the potential of specific strains as antagonists. 2. Investigate the effects of different culture media and cultivation conditions (temperature, pH, humidity) on the mycelial growth and antagonism of _Trichoderma_ strains. 3. Conduct trials in multiple localities and under different cultivation conditions to evaluate the efficacy and consistency of biopreparations on a larger scale. 4. Perform long-term follow-up studies to confirm the persistence of the antagonism and the influence of biopreparations on soil and plant health over time. **Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, J.D.V.-C. and F.G.-V.; formal analysis, D.N.-V. and M.F.G.-M.; investigation, F.G.-V. and R.B.Q. ; methodology, J.D.V.-C. and F.G.-V.; supervision, J.D.V.-C. and F.G.-V.; writing--original draft, J.D.V.-C., F.G.-V., D.N.-V., M.F.G.-M. and R.B.Q. ; writing--review and editing, J.D.V.-C., F.G.-V., D.N.-V., M.F.G.-M. and R.B.Q. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. **Funding:** This research was funded by The Universidad Estatal de Milagro with the support of The Research Project titled \"Aplicacion De Tecnicas De Mineria De Datos Para El Estudio De Plagas En El Cacao Ecuatoriano\". This research was funded by Universidad Estatal de Milagro (UNEMI) Scholarship.