Endophytic fungi: versatile partners for pest biocontrol, growth promotion, and climate change resilience in plants

Abstract

Plant-associated endophytic fungi (EFs) are emerging as a promising solution to advancing modern agriculture and fostering environmental sustainability, especially in the face of climate change scenarios. These fungi, either naturally residing in plants or introduced through artificial inoculation techniques, improve agricultural production due to their various roles in protecting and supporting host plants. The majority of EFs serve as natural biocontrol agents for a variety of agricultural pests, such as insects, phytopathogens, nematodes, and weeds. Notably, EFs produce secondary metabolites, trigger immune responses, modify plant defense gene expression, confer host plant resistance and/or tolerance, and regulate pest growth, populations, and survival to combat agricultural pests. Beyond controlling pests, EFs promote optimal plant growth, development, and resilience by aiding in the synthesis of vital compounds such as phytohormones and bioactive metabolites, nutrient acquisition, and fortifying plants against environmental stresses and climatic changes. Moreover, the mostly nonpathogenic nature of EFs, coupled with their high yield potential, environmental safety, and cost effectiveness, positions them as eco-friendly and economically viable alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals amidst rapid climate change scenarios. As a result, the promising horizon of EFs in agricultural production necessitates interdisciplinary study and microbial modulation approaches to optimize symbiotic plant-EF relationships and their potential for improved productivity. This review provides current and comprehensive insights into the practical applications and multifaceted benefits of EFs in pest management, plant growth promotion, and climate change resilience for future agricultural production improvements. The analysis reveals the potential of developing EFs into innovative bioformulations such as biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biopesticides, thereby paving the way for their integration into a sustainable and more resilient future agricultural system.

Evaluation of Various Inoculation Methods on the Effect of Beauveria bassiana on the Plant Growth of Kiwi and on Halyomorpha halys Infestation: A Two-Year Field Study

“…In addition, B. bassiana has shown biostimulant properties on grapevine Vitis vinifera L., (Vitales: Vitaceae) [72] by increasing root growth. EPFs have been shown to have plant-growth-promoting effects through various mechanisms of assisting the growth of plant metabolism in a multitude of studies [73,74]. Some EPFs are plant growth regulators, enhancing the production of auxin and gibberillic acid (GA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) hormones [74][75][76][77], which induce shoot and root development, and contribute to cell division and elongation, as well as vascular tissue differentiation [78].…”

“…Moreover, EPFs provide access to plant nutrients. For instance, the nutrient acquisition mechanism employed by B. bassiana on beans Phaseolus vulgaris (Fabales: Fabaceae), includes the release of nutrients from insects that are decayed by microbes [74,76,79].…”