Endophyte-mediated modulation of secondary metabolism in crops for biotic stress management

Abstract

Endophytes are non-disease-causing an endosymbiotic group of microbes (bacteria and fungi) surviving in living tissues of plants. Their deep connections to and potential sympatric speciation with their plant partners have allowed them to boost a variety of plant growth processes, including increased growth and biomass accumulation, stress tolerance, and nutrient uptake. It has been discovered that endophytes play a significant role in the health of plants. Their impact on disease prevention and management, however, is still unclear. The goal of this chapter is to evaluate how endophytes, both individually and collectively, can affect several physiological indicators and systemic defense mechanisms against plant diseases. Endophytes are crucial biological resources that must be further researched to meet environmental sustainability goals, serve as limitless supplies of biomolecules for many industrial sectors, and to those directly affecting human health. To benefit from this extraordinary link, it is necessary to look into genetics and the integrated metabolism of the plant-endophyte relationship. Endophytes create secondary metabolites to protect the host plant from plant pathogens and severe the environmental factors. The commercialized biotechnological development of endophytes in crop improvement will be made easier with an understanding of the principles behind plant resistance. There is still more opportunity to investigate variables and clarify mechanisms that result in endophytes’ undeniably positive impacts. This chapter fills in the previously noted gap by concentrating on the role endophytes play in plant development and their stimulation of various mechanisms of tolerating various abiotic and biotic challenges. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.