Grapevine endophytes and plant health: a culture-independent approach

This chapter addresses the potential of culture-independent tools for the study of endophytes (including bacteria and fungi as biological control agents and/or growth promoters) of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and the potential of as yet uncultured endophytes for plant health. These tools include the molecular techniques such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, length heterogeneity-PCR, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and next generation sequencing. Some potential roles for endophytes in epidemics include altering the uptake of plant nutrients, thereby potentially affecting nutrient stress as well as susceptibility to infectious disease, altering plant susceptibility through processes such as induced systemic resistance and systemic acquired resistance, or through potentially complex network structures related to microbial association