Role of the Endophytic Microbiota on Plant Resilience

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, extensive research has explored the intricate relationships between organisms and their associated microbial communities. Plants are considered holobionts, establishing interactions with a diverse range of collaborating microorganisms, that can provide cost-efficient defense strategies. These interactions, that are of fundamental importance given that plants are unable to escape from biotic and abiotic stresses by moving, can occur in various plant compartments, including the phyllosphere, endosphere, and rhizosphere, where microbes can be pathogenic, neutral, or beneficial. Microbes that are essential to plant health are known as plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs). These microbes have been shown to enhance plant growth under both stressed and non-stressed conditions. The plant endophytic microbiota comprise specific microbial communities, including plant root-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and other endophytic fungi, and bacteria that colonize the inner plant tissues without causing harm, playing a crucial role in enhancing plant resilience against biotic and abiotic stressors. These microorganisms can influence plant health by promoting growth, improving nutrient acquisition, and providing protection against pathogens. Through mechanisms such as the production of phytohormones, antimicrobial compounds, and enzymes that modulate plant metabolism, endophytes enhance the plant's ability to adapt to environmental challenges such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. Additionally, endophytic microorganisms contribute to the plant's immune responses by inducing systemic resistance and modulating gene expression related to stress tolerance.

Substantial interest in this area, which has grown in recent years, reflects the awareness that we must reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other agrochemicals to ensure a healthier and more sustainable food production system. The combination of advanced molecular instruments and computational software led to next-generation studies (NGSs) that detect more diverse groups of taxa of both culturable and unculturable microflora within environmental samples without requiring axenic cultures. This allows us to continuously acquire new information on the complexity of the endophytic microbiota of plants, and to delve deeper into the relationships between host species or cultivars and their bacterial endophyte communities in different environmental conditions. Recent studies have also highlighted their potential in reducing plant reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, promoting sustainable agriculture practices. The study of interactions between plants and their endophytic microbiota opens up new avenues for developing innovative strategies to improve crop productivity and resilience in the face of climate change.

This Special Issue therefore aims to comprehensively address all those aspects that explore the diversity and functional capabilities of plant endophytes, as well as their possible application in biotechnology for enhancing agricultural sustainability. We are inviting you to submit research articles, short communications, and reviews on the topics covered in this Special Issue that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Endophyte diversity and distribution;
• Endophyte–plant interactions;
• Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs);
• Functional roles of endophytes as biological control agents against plant pathogens;
• Functional roles of endophytes in plant protection against abiotic stressors;
• Endophyte transmission and colonization mechanisms.

Dr. Francesco Carimi
Dr. Davide Pacifico
Guest Editors

Dalila Crucitti
Guest Editor Assistant 

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• plant growth-promoting microorganisms
• climate change
• plant defense
• drought
• salinity
• crop improvement
• sustainable agriculture
• biological control agents