2011/03/03 by Andrea Porras‐Alfaro, Paul Bayman · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant and fungal interactions #Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases #Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
paper · doi:10.1146/annurev-phyto-080508-081831
openalex publication_date 2011/03/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Endophytes are microorganisms that live within plant tissues without causing symptoms of disease. They are important components of plant microbiomes. Endophytes interact with, and overlap in function with, other core microbial groups that colonize plant tissues, e.g., mycorrhizal fungi, pathogens, epiphytes, and saprotrophs. Some fungal endophytes affect plant growth and plant responses to pathogens, herbivores, and environmental change; others produce useful or interesting secondary metabolites. Here, we focus on new techniques and approaches that can provide an integrative understanding of the role of fungal endophytes in the plant microbiome. Clavicipitaceous endophytes of grasses are not considered because they have unique properties distinct from other endophytes. Hidden from view and often overlooked, endophytes are emerging as their diversity, importance for plant growth and survival, and interactions with other organisms are revealed.