Endophytism in Zingiberaceae: Elucidation of Beneficial Impact

Abstract

Endophytism is a unique relationship between plant and endosymbiotic microorganism wherein the microbes colonize within plant tissues without producing any disease etiology. Various groups of endophytes isolated from different medicinal plants are extremely significant in this respect for their ability to synthesize novel bioactive compounds as well as for the modulation of productivity. Endophytes also play various crucial roles in growth, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and adaptation. With the implementation of “state-of-the-art” technologies in molecular biology, the specific identification of associated microorganism as well as their relationship with corresponding host plants has been explicitly deciphered in recent years. Zingiberaceae, generally recognized as ginger family, comprises of rhizomatous medicinal and aromatic plants and is characterized by the presence of plethora of bioactive compounds along with volatile oils. They are widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. This chapter aims to explore the endophytic relationship between medicinally important species of Zingiberaceae and the corresponding microbes, for improved production of imminent natural products and their role in protection of host plants from pathogens as well as in stress tolerance, thus helping the plants, indirectly, to grow better.