About this Research Topic
Endophytes are the plant symbionts that live inside the plant tissue without causing any symptoms of disease for a part of their life-cycle, as compared to the rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbes that live on the plant’s surface, and pathogens that cause disease. Bacteria and fungi are the two most common groups that are included in endophytes. They find their way into plants’ endosphere to become extremely important plant symbionts that improve metabolite profile, fitness and stress tolerance of the host.
Endophytes are an important untapped reservoir of biological resources. During the last few decades, endophytes have attracted scientists working in the field of agriculture, environment and industry due to the possibilities of diverse biotechnological applications in such fields. Endophytes promote plant growth by improving the physiological and metabolic functions of the host plants via nutrient acquisition, nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, enhancing abiotic/biotic stress tolerance, and disease resistance. These benefits conferred by the endophytes can be used to promote agriculture yield and food quality. In addition endophytes are known to produce novel antibiotics; secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, phenolic acids, quinines; siderophores; and enzymes such as chitinases and cellulases. These natural compounds have use in pharmaceutical, food and agricultural industries. Endophytes have usage in biodegradation, bioextraction or bioaccumulation of environmental pollutants. They also have potential application in enhanced phytoremediation. More recently, endophytic bacteria and fungi have also been used for the green synthesis of nanoparticles for different medical and industrial applications. Functional genomics studies of endophytes provided more information and better understanding of network of the complex host-endophyte interactions and other associated microbes to harness the biotechnological potential of endophytes more efficiently and sustainably.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to bring together the key experimental and theoretical research related to endophytes focused on their biotechnological applications. This Research Topic will gather crucial information on the functional role and use of endophytes in agricultural, pharmaceutical, industrial, and environmental purposes.
This Research Topic is focusing on the functions and biotechnological applications of endophytes. We invite submissions of all types of articles (original research, methods, opinion, review, mini-review, perspective, or hypothesis & theory), but is not limited to, the following subtopics:
• Endophytes as biofertilizer and biocontrol agent in sustainable agriculture.
• Production and purification of enzymes from endophytes and their applications.
• Isolation and applications of secondary metabolites from endophytes.
• Potential of endophytes in novel drug discovery and other pharmaceutical applications.
• Potential of endophytes in biodegradation, metal extraction, bioaccumulation, and enhanced phytoremediation.
• Potential applications of endophytes in the development of nanomaterials having variety of applications as nano-drugs, nano-pesticides, and nano-fertilizers.
• Functional genomics of endophytes and its applications.
Please note: Articles having only isolation, identification and diversity of endophytes, without any functional roles or applications won't be considered in this topic. Merely descriptive papers won't be considered.
Endophytes are an important untapped reservoir of biological resources. During the last few decades, endophytes have attracted scientists working in the field of agriculture, environment and industry due to the possibilities of diverse biotechnological applications in such fields. Endophytes promote plant growth by improving the physiological and metabolic functions of the host plants via nutrient acquisition, nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, enhancing abiotic/biotic stress tolerance, and disease resistance. These benefits conferred by the endophytes can be used to promote agriculture yield and food quality. In addition endophytes are known to produce novel antibiotics; secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, phenolic acids, quinines; siderophores; and enzymes such as chitinases and cellulases. These natural compounds have use in pharmaceutical, food and agricultural industries. Endophytes have usage in biodegradation, bioextraction or bioaccumulation of environmental pollutants. They also have potential application in enhanced phytoremediation. More recently, endophytic bacteria and fungi have also been used for the green synthesis of nanoparticles for different medical and industrial applications. Functional genomics studies of endophytes provided more information and better understanding of network of the complex host-endophyte interactions and other associated microbes to harness the biotechnological potential of endophytes more efficiently and sustainably.
The main goal of this Research Topic is to bring together the key experimental and theoretical research related to endophytes focused on their biotechnological applications. This Research Topic will gather crucial information on the functional role and use of endophytes in agricultural, pharmaceutical, industrial, and environmental purposes.
This Research Topic is focusing on the functions and biotechnological applications of endophytes. We invite submissions of all types of articles (original research, methods, opinion, review, mini-review, perspective, or hypothesis & theory), but is not limited to, the following subtopics:
• Endophytes as biofertilizer and biocontrol agent in sustainable agriculture.
• Production and purification of enzymes from endophytes and their applications.
• Isolation and applications of secondary metabolites from endophytes.
• Potential of endophytes in novel drug discovery and other pharmaceutical applications.
• Potential of endophytes in biodegradation, metal extraction, bioaccumulation, and enhanced phytoremediation.
• Potential applications of endophytes in the development of nanomaterials having variety of applications as nano-drugs, nano-pesticides, and nano-fertilizers.
• Functional genomics of endophytes and its applications.
Please note: Articles having only isolation, identification and diversity of endophytes, without any functional roles or applications won't be considered in this topic. Merely descriptive papers won't be considered.
Keywords: Plant growth promotion, biofertilizers, secondary metabolites, phytohormones, bioremediation, functional genomics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
