Endophytic fungi from Brazilian tropical hosts and their biotechnological applications

Abstract

Endophytic microorganisms residing within plants are constantly communicating with them and the external environment by means of various interaction mechanisms and biochemical processes. Although plants have evolved their own defense mechanisms, sometimes they fail to defend themselves from the constant attack of devastating and emerging pathogens. Thus, research involving endophytes that aid the defense responses of their host plants chemistry of endophyte–plant interactions can provide new insights into the production of target and/or nontarget metabolites, thereby enabling a better understanding of the metabolic processes in planta and ex planta. In this chapter, we highlight the interactions of endophytes harbored in the medicinally the pathogens. The various endophyte–plant–pathogen defense–counter defense crosstalk would aid in exploring the biocontrol potential of endophytes in thwarting pathogens attacking the plants, and thus, effectively decrease the loss of such therapeutically relevant medicinal plants. Such interactions will further lead to the discovery of bioactive compounds, including the ones exclusive to the host plants. This chapter deals with the recent advances madein bioprospecting endophytes harbored in C. sativa L. with regard to their efficacies in thwarting phytopathogens. When endophytes are challenged with host-specific phytopathogens, they show an assortment of physical and chemical defense responses under different media conditions. This supports the concept of one strain many compounds (OSMAC) approach. Using cues from the current investigation, future research can maximize the possibility of a holistic understanding of endophyte–endophyte, endophyte–plant, and endophyte–pathogen relationships.