Pathogenic microorganisms affecting plant health are a major and chronic threat to food production and ecosystem stability worldwide As agricultural production intensified over the past few decades, producers became more and more dependent on agrochemicals as a relatively reliable method of crop

Use of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria for Biocontrol of Plant Diseases: Principles, Mechanisms of Action, and Future Prospects

In both managed and natural ecosystems, beneficial plant-associated bacteria play a key role in supporting and/or increasing plant health and growth. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can be applied in agricultural production or for the phytoremediation of pollutants. However, because of their capacity to confer plant beneficial effects, efficient colonization of the plant environment is of utmost importance. The majority of plant-associated bacteria derives from the soil environment. They may migrate to the rhizosphere and subsequently the rhizoplane of their hosts before they are able to show beneficial effects. Some rhizoplane colonizing bacteria can also penetrate plant roots, and some strains may move to aerial plant parts, with a decreasing bacterial density in comparison to rhizosphere or root colonizing populations. A better understanding on colonization processes has been obtained mostly by microscopic visualisation as well as by analysing the characteristics of mutants carrying disfunctional genes potentially involved in colonization. In this review we describe the individual steps of plant colonization and survey the known mechanisms responsible for rhizosphere and endophytic competence. The understanding of colonization processes is important to better predict how bacteria interact with plants and whether they are likely to establish themselves in the plant environment after field application as biofertilisers or biocontrol agents.

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Plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizo- and endosphere of plants: Their role, colonization, mechanisms involved and prospects for utilization

Endophytic bacteria have been found in virtually every plant studied, where they colonize the internal tissues of their host plant and can form a range of different relationships including symbiotic, mutualistic, commensalistic and trophobiotic Most endophytes appear to originate from the rhizosphere or phyllosphere; however, some may be transmitted through the seed Endophytic bacteria can promote plant growth and yield and can act as biocontrol agents Endophytes can also be beneficial to their host by producing a range of natural products that could be harnessed for potential use in medicine, agriculture or industry In addition, it has been shown that they have the potential to remove soil contaminants by enhancing phytoremediation and may play a role in soil fertility through phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation There is increasing interest in developing the potential biotechnological applications of endophytes for improving phytoremediation and the sustainable production of nonfood crops for biomass and biofuel production

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2007.00918.x

Bacterial endophytes: recent developments and applications

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and endophytes accelerate phytoremediation of metalliferous soils

https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/pdf/S0167-7799(09)00223-6.pdf

Potential of siderophore-producing bacteria for improving heavy metal phytoextraction

The authors wish to acknowledge the European Commission for their support to the ENDEGRADE project (EU PROJECT: QLK3- CT2000-00164). DvdL and ST are presently being
supported by Laboratory Directed Research and Development funds at the Brookhaven National Laboratory under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Max Mezgeay

Papers

Endophytic Bacteria and Their Potential Applications