What is endophyte?

1. Endophytic and their use in
sustainable agriculture
By:
Elham lasemi 1

2. 2
what is sustainable agriculture ?
Economic
profitability
and social
Sustainable agriculture goals

3. 3
What is an Endophyte?
In plants, microorganisms that are present, but do not
cause disease symptoms, are called endophytes (Wilson
1995).
●
- endophyte
“endo”=“inside”
“phyte” means
“plants”

4. 4
• there is no
effect on the
host by the
organism
commensal
• the fungi or
bacteria benefit,
but there is no
benefit to the
host
parasitic
• the host receives
some benefit by
having the
organism
present.
mutualistic
Endophytic associations can either be :

5. 5
● Some of the benefits to a host :
- tolerance to heat, salt
- resistance to plant pathogens
- animal foraging (Rodriguez and Redman 2008).
● Some of the more interesting compounds produced by
endophytic microbes, with which Stroble’s lab have dealt:
Taxol: the world’s first billion-dollar anti-cancer drug.
Cryptocin: antifungal agent
Cryptocandin: a molecule with potent anti-fungal properties.
Jesterone: antifungal agent
Oocydin: antifungal agent
Isopestacin: antioxidant
The munumbicins: wide spectrum antibiotics
Kakadumycin: antibiotic
The pseudomycins: antifungal agents for use in humans.
Ambuic acid: antifungal agent

6. 6
endophyte examples
● Fungi and bacteria are the most
common organisms associated with
the term endophyte.
● Some commonly found endophytes:
Enterobacter sp., Colletotrichum sp.,
Phomopsis sp., Phyllosticta sp.,
Cladosporium sp., and…

7. 7
Ecological significance
● Endophytic microbes occupy a relatively privileged niche
within plant and usually contribute to plant health. Some groups
of endophytic microorganisms have been believed to be
mutualists that protect plants against biotic stresses. Co-
evolution may exist between endophytes and their host in resist
to environmental stresses.

8. 8
Importance of the microorganism in this habitat
● Some of the endophytes are proved:
- enhance plant growth by nitrogen fixation
- increase resistant against pathogens
- remove contaminants and solubilize phosphate
● Some bacterial endophytes are originally from the phyllosphere
bacterial communities in phyllophane, endophyte infected seeds
and plant material.

9. 9
Isolation and Identification
● Endophytes are isolated
by initial surface
sterilization followed by
culturing from ground tissue
extract or by direct culturing
of plant tissues on media
suitable for bacteria or fungi
or actinomycetes.

10. 10
identification of endophytes
Morphological
characteristics
ribosomal DNA Internal
Transcribed Spacer (ITS)
sequence analysis

11. 11
● Pleurostoma, Chaetomium,
Coniochaeta (Lecythophora),
Daldinia, Xylaria, Hypoxylon,
Nodulisporium, Cazia, and
Phellinus isolated as
endophytes from Huperzia
serrata were confirmed for the
first time by rDNA ITS analysis

12. 12
Effect of Climate on Endophytic Population
● Endophytic population varies from plants to plants and
from species to species. Within the same species it not only
varies from region to region but also differs with change in
climatic conditions of the same region.

13. 13
Microbial Community
Microbial
community
Fungi
Bacteria

14. 14
Fungi
● Endophytic fungi could be broadly
defined as fungi that live for all, or at
least significant part of their life cycle
internally and asymptomically inside
plants. Fungi are the most frequently
isolated endophytes.
● Every plant species is found to be
at least host one fungal endophytes,
but usually asymptomatic and
sometimes systemically

15. 15
● NC-endophytes represent three distinct functional classes
based on :
-host colonization
-transmission, in planta biodiversity
-fitness benefits conferred to hosts
the C group has just one class.
infect some
grasses
nonvascular
plants, ferns
and allies,
conifers, and
angiosperms

16. 16
Bacteria
● Endophytic bacteria are
defined as bacteria that are
detected extracted from inside
plants and have no
visibly harmful effects on the
plants.
● Endophytic bacteria, along
with rhizospheric bacteria
contribute to plant growth.
● From a phylogenetic view,
endophytic bacteria are
between saprophytic bacteria
and plant pathogens.

17. 17
Biological interactions
Biological
interactions
Fingi-host
Endophytes-
pathogen
Bacterica-host

18. 18
Endophytes and Molecular Studies
Molecular Studies

19. 19
Bioremediation
/Biodegradation
Enzyme
Production
Phytostimulation
Endophytes
with Multiple
Rolesce
Endophytes in
Tissue Culture
Production of
Volatile Organic
Compounds and
Their Benefits
Antimicrobial
Activity
Nutrient
CyclingBiocontrol
Agents
Source of
Bioactives and
Novel
Compounds
Roles and Applications of Endophytes
Reciprocal
Interactions
between Above-
& Belowground
Communities
Pigment
Production

20. Application of different innovative biotechnological tools will
help in strengthening the understanding of plant-endophyte
interactions, producing new bioactive compounds, perk up
the growth in plants, and improve biocontrol activity,
reducing the debris and other wastes which are otherwise
harmful to the ecosystem. Considering all these, definitely
endophytes have proved to be a boon and have left good
impact on plants, environment, and also human beings in
several possible ways.
20
Conclusions

21. 21