Main Article Content
Endophytic Microbes: Potential Tools for Sustainable Crop Production
Abstract
The use of endophytic microorganisms as potential tools to mitigate adverse environmental factors is a rapidly developing technology for sustainable crop production. These microbial symbionts colonize the host plant's intracellular and intercellular spaces without causing morphological changes or infections, whilst developing secondary active metabolites that protect their host plants from phytopathogens. The production of beneficial substances by these microbes not only aids plant growth and protect them in the face of biotic and abiotic stress, it positively impacts the goal to tackle world hunger that is as a result of increased global population. These microorganisms have recently been used in a number of biotechnological fields which include the development of biofertilizers to boost crop production, while reducing chemical inputs into the environment, biocontrol of plant pests and diseases. In this review, the diversity, population and mechanism of interaction of these endophytes with crop plants as well as their potential applications in sustainable crop production were highlighted.