Biocontrol and Bioremediation: Two Areas of Endophytic Research Which Hold Great Promise
Research into the beneficial use of endophytic organisms has dramatically increased worldwide in recent years. Endophytes are typically bacteria or fungi which colonize the internal tissues of plant hosts without causing visible negative effects. Two area
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Mary Ruth Griffin
Abstract
Research into the beneficial use of endophytic organisms has dramatically increased worldwide in recent years. Endophytes are typically bacteria or fungi which colonize the internal tissues of plant hosts without causing visible negative effects. Two areas in endophyte research, which hold tremendous positive economic and environmental potential, are biocontrol and bioremediation. Biocontrol, short for biological control is the intentional use of a specific organism or their metabolic by-products to limit the harmful impact of a plant pest. Endophytes due to their unique symbiotic relationships within their hosts have the potential to directly act antagonistically against plant pests. In addition endophytes may also act indirectly against pests, benefitting their hosts by enhancing general plant growth or plantprotection responses, such as in the case of induced systemic resistance. Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms to alter or reduce the toxic impact of pollutants through various forms of metabolic activity. Microorganisms, in part due to their short life spans, can adapt relatively fast to environmental pollutants. Endophytes with these adaptations can in some cases provide their hosts with the capability to remediate their surrounding microenvironments. In this review, we will explore recent advances made in the promising areas of biocontrol and bioremediation research.
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Introduction
Symbiosis describes a relationship between two interacting organisms and includes a wide spectrum of resulting conditions that range from M.R. Griffin (*) Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA e-mail: [email protected]
mutualistic to pathogenic. Organisms that internally colonize plants for part (facultative) or all (obligate) of their lives (Hardoim et al. 2008) occur along different areas of the symbiotic spectrum due to a plethora of reasons. Known as endophytes, these diverse organisms dwell within the internal tissues of plant structures and are found in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and even seeds (Surette et al. 2003). As mutual or commensal symbionts, they coexist peaceably within their
V.C. Verma and A.C. Gange (eds.), Advances in Endophytic Research, DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1575-2_14, © Springer India 2014
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Fig. 14.1 Fungal endophyte (Beauveria bassiana) shown here sporulating from the flower and stem of a Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). The fungus was inoculated via the pods and, after 6–8 weeks, moved systemically throughout the plant before sporulating from new plant tissue. As a result of the spores becoming airborne, uninoculated plants also became colonized (Photo courtesy Mary R. Griffin, unpublished data)
Fig. 14.2 Squash seeds plated onto plant-based media to determine if they are colonized with endophytes. Use of host-plant media (10 % juice concentrate) is useful for encouraging growth of seed endophytes in culture
plant hosts causing no visible negative effects or signs of infection (Compant
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