Endophytic Actinobacteria for Sustainable Agricultural Applications

Endophytic actinobacteria have the capacity to establish intimate associations with plants and colonize their inner tissues without causing apparent disease symptoms. They can protect plants by producing bioactive compounds that act as plant growth promoters or biological control agents and, in return, obtain nutrition and protection from the host plant. The application of endophytic actinobacteria in agriculture has attracted increasing attention. We address isolation and identification methods and the occurrence and diversity of endophytic actinobacteria in agricultural crops. Attention is given to the roles of endophytic actinobacteria in plant growth and development and health promotion for sustainable agriculture is discussed.