Roles of Endophyte fungi in fruit and vegetable plants
2.Resistance to pests and diseases.
*Endophytic fungi are used as the most common microbial biological control agents (MBCAs)
against phytopathogens and are ubiquitous in all plant parts. The endosymbionts have (Pietro-
Souza et al., 2020)developed specific genes that exhibited endophytic behavior and
demonstrated defensive responses against pathogens such as antibiosis, parasitism, lytic
enzyme and competition, siderophore production, and indirect responses by induced systemic
resistance (ISR) in the host plant.(Akram et al., 2023)
*The resistance mechanisms of mercury volatilization and bioaccumulation in plant tissues
mediated by these endophytic fungi can contribute to bioremediation programs.(Pietro-Souza
et al., 2020)
*The genus Trichoderma, mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi are the main groups of filamentous
fungi studied and used as biological control agents (BCAs) against nematodes as resistance
inducers. They are able to reduce the damage caused by plant-parasitic nematodes directly by
parasitism, antibiosis, paralysis and by the production of lytic enzymes.(Poveda et al., 2020)
*The use of endophytic fungi as bioinoculants are advancing, and understanding endophytic
fungi antibiosis action through the synthesis of biocontrol agents (BCAs) can, however, be
explored in integrated plant disease management. (Adeleke et al., 2022)
*Endophytic fungi are little known for their role in gibberellins (Gas) synthesis and abiotic stress
in crop plants. P. minioluteum ameliorated the adverse effects of abiotic salinity stress and
rescued soybean plant growth by influencing biosynthesis of the plant’s hormones and
flavonoids.(Khan et al., 2011)
*Human life has been significantly impacted by the creation and spread of novel species of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria and virus strains that are difficult to manage. Scientists and
researchers have recently been motivated to seek out alternatives and other sources of safe and
ecologically friendly active chemicals that have a powerful and effective effect against a wide
variety of pathogenic bacteria as a result of all these hazards and problems. In this review,
endophytic fungi and their bioactive compounds and biomedical applications were discussed.
(Hashem et al., 2023)
*Fungal endophytes occur ubiquitously in plants and are being increasingly studied for their
ability to support plant health and protect the host from diseases. Using endophytes in disease
control provides potential advantages compared to other biocontrol agents since they colonize
the plant internally and thereby are protected by the host, thus potentially reducing
environmental sensitivity.(Latz et al., 2018)
*Neotyphodium coenophialum, an endophytic fungus that infects shoots of tall fescue (Festuca
arundinacea), may protect its host from herbivory through production of alkaloids. Yet, the
fungus can also modify plant resource allocation, regrowth dynamics, and drought tolerance,
and these changes may also influence herbivores.(Bultman & Bell, 2003)
*Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must
be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional
management measures, induced resistance and biological control have gained ground in
agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi internally colonize plant tissues
and have the potential to act as control agents, such as biological agents or elicitors in the
process of induced resistance and in attenuating abiotic stresses.(Fontana et al., 2021)
*Some strains of endophyte which confer plant resistance to particular biotic stresses, such as
resistance to insects, do not produce compounds toxic to grazing animals. Such strains are of
particular benefit to pastoral farmers as they can be selected and used to infect other grasses.
(Latch, 1993)
References
Adeleke, B. S., Ayilara, M. S., Akinola, S. A., & Babalola, O. O. (2022). Biocontrol mechanisms of
endophytic fungi. In Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control (Vol. 32, Issue 1). Springer
Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-022-
00547-1
Akram, S., Ahmed, A., He, P., He, P., Liu, Y., Wu, Y., Munir, S., & He, Y. (2023). Uniting the Role
of Endophytic Fungi against Plant Pathogens and Their Interaction. In Journal of Fungi (Vol.
9, Issue 1). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9010072
Bultman, T. L., & Bell, G. D. (2003). Interaction between fungal endophytes and environmental
stressors influences plant resistance to insects. OIKOS, 103, 182–190.
Fontana, D. C., de Paula, S., Torres, A. G., de Souza, V. H. M., Pascholati, S. F., Schmidt, D., &
Neto, D. D. (2021). Endophytic fungi: Biological control and induced resistance to
phytopathogens and abiotic stresses. Pathogens, 10(5).
https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10050570
Hashem, A. H., Attia, M. S., Kandil, E. K., Fawzi, M. M., Abdelrahman, A. S., Khader, M. S.,
Khodaira, M. A., Emam, A. E., Goma, M. A., & Abdelaziz, A. M. (2023). Bioactive
compounds and biomedical applications of endophytic fungi: a recent review. In Microbial
Cell Factories (Vol. 22, Issue 1). BioMed Central Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-023-
02118-x
Khan, A. L., Hamayun, M., Ahmad, N., Hussain, J., Kang, S. M., Kim, Y. H., Adnan, M., Tang, D. S.,
Waqas, M., Radhakrishnan, R., Hwang, Y. H., & Lee, I. J. (2011). Salinity stress resistance
offered by endophytic fungal interaction between penicillium minioluteum LHL09 and
glycine max. L. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 21(9), 893–902.
https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.1103.03012
Latch, G. C. (1993). Physiological interactions of endophytic fungi and their hosts. Biotic stress
tolerance imparted to grasses by endophytes. In Ecosystems and Environment (Vol. 44).
Latz, M. A. C., Jensen, B., Collinge, D. B., & Jørgensen, H. J. L. (2018). Endophytic fungi as
biocontrol agents: elucidating mechanisms in disease suppression. In Plant Ecology and
Diversity (Vol. 11, Issues 5–6, pp. 555–567). Taylor and Francis Ltd.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2018.1534146
Pietro-Souza, W., de Campos Pereira, F., Mello, I. S., Stachack, F. F. F., Terezo, A. J., Cunha, C. N.
da, White, J. F., Li, H., & Soares, M. A. (2020). Mercury resistance and bioremediation
mediated by endophytic fungi. Chemosphere, 240.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124874
Poveda, J., Abril-Urias, P., & Escobar, C. (2020). Biological Control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes
by Filamentous Fungi Inducers of Resistance: Trichoderma, Mycorrhizal and Endophytic
Fungi. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 530260.
https://doi.org/10.3389/FMICB.2020.00992/BIBTEX
