Endophytic fungi: resource for gibberellins and crop abiotic stress resistance

Abstract

The beneficial effects of endophytes on plant growth are important for agricultural ecosystems because they reduce the need for fertilizers and decrease soil and water pollution while compensating for environmental perturbations. Endophytic fungi are a novel source of bioactive secondary metabolites; moreover, recently they have been found to produce physiologically active gibberellins as well. The symbiosis of gibberellins producing endophytic fungi with crops can be a promising strategy to overcome the adverse effects of abiotic stresses. The association of such endophytes has not only increased plant biomass but also ameliorated plant-growth during extreme environmental conditions. Endophytic fungi represent a trove of unexplored biodiversity and a frequently overlooked component of crop ecology. The present review describes the role of gibberellins producing endophytic fungi, suggests putative mechanisms involved in plant endophyte stress interactions and discusses future prospects in this field.

• Abiotic stresses
• crop growth and physiology
• endophytic fungi
• gibberellins

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the financial supporters (Eco-Innovation Project, Korean Government’s R & D program on Environmental Technology and Development, Republic of Korea) of this research.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.