Endophytic microbes from medicinal plants, their antimicrobial potential, and role in green agriculture

Endophytic microbes including bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi habitat inside the plant and establish a mutual benefit interaction for their growth. The endophytic microbes could act as a plant growth promoter by mineral solubilization which is critical for plant growth. And the endophytic microbes are known for secreting antimicrobial agents that prevent the growth of other microbes such as plant pathogens. Such types of endophytic microbes formulations were found to be employed for the biological control of pests in agriculture. Therefore, the endophytic microbes have the potential for their application in agriculture that can decrease the dependency on chemical fertilizers and harmful pests. Interestingly, the endophytic microbes retain some of the properties of host plants. And many research reports that medicinal plant-derived endophytic microbes produce an array of antimicrobial agents that could be explored in green agriculture. Recently, with the advancement of technology, many novel endophytic microbes have been reported. In this chapter, we provided a concise review of endophytic microbes in general and from medicinal plant and their application in agriculture.