Yadav A.N.Kaur T.Devi R.Negi R.Kour D.Yadav A.Sylia A.B.Rai A.K.Nabti E.Yadav N.Abdel-Azeem A.M.Ahluwalia A.S.2025-01-132025-01-132024978-032399314-2; 978-032399315-9https://dl.bhu.ac.in/ir/handle/123456789/2912Endophytic fungi are largely recognized for their wide range of applications. They are known to be associated with a wide range of plants, both land- and water-based. Endophytic fungi residing inside plant tissues are very diverse and belong to phyla such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota. Endophytic fungi are a key source of natural compounds such as enzymes, secondary metabolites, and bioactive compounds, and these have several applications in human health as well as the agricultural and industrial sectors. Fungal endophytes are also utilized as bioinoculants to promote plant growth. Fungal endophytes show different plant growth-promoting abilities such as the solubilization of minerals as well as the production of phytohormones, siderophores, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide that alleviate stress caused by nutrient depletion as well as environmental factors such as drought, salinity, flooding, and heavy metals. Endophytic fungi also play a pivotal role as biocontrol agents that help control pests and pathogens attacking various plants. In this chapter, their biodiversity, roles, and applications in various sectors are discussed in detail. � 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved including those for text and data mining AI training and similar technologies.enAgricultureBiodiversityEndophytic fungiEnvironmentIndustrial applicationsBook chapter10.1016/B978-0-323-99314-2.00020-6