Endophytic Fungi as a Hidden Treasure for the Biological Control of Plant Pathogens

Dear Colleagues,

A poorly understood category of living organisms with great agricultural and biotechnological potential is fungi. Fungi have evolved different survival strategies as a result of the large variety of environments they inhabit and the necessity to compete with a wide range of other fungi, bacteria, and animals. A mutually advantageous symbiosis between plants and fungi evolved more than 450 million years ago, enabling plants to colonize the nutrient-poor, dry, harsh, and desert terrestrial environment. By fostering development, creating secondary metabolites, and boosting tolerance to biotic and abiotic challenges, beneficial plant-colonizing fungi benefit their hosts. The hidden treasures of plants, mycorrhizae, and endophytic fungi live a mutually beneficial life inside the host plant. The advancement of contemporary molecular biology tools and procedures has made it possible to determine the precise identity of these fungi and understand their interactions with the host and other microorganisms.

We encourage distinguished authors and research experts to submit original research and review articles that target the "Endophytic Fungi as a Hidden Treasure for the Biological Control of Plant Pathogens" for this Special Issue.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Biocontrol mechanisms of endophytic fungi.
2. Understanding disease suppression mechanisms using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents.
3. Endophytic fungi-derived compounds activating plant defenses.
4. Hormonal signaling induced by endophytic fungi and its ability to induce plant resistance.
5. Challenges associated with endophyte biocontrol mechanisms.
6. Endophytic fungi as a biological control agent against insect pests.
7. Searching for novel fungal biological control agents for plant disease control among endophytes.
8. Fungal endophytes for plant health.
9. Endophytes for agroforestry and biostimulants.
10. Endophytic fungi as beneficial partners for the intensification of agriculture.
11. Endophytic fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and control of insects.
12. Biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes by endophytic filamentous fungi inducers of resistance.
13. Diversity and its agricultural applications.
14. Promising role of fungal symbiosis for eco-friendly green technology and future research.
15. Harnessing endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents.
16. Fungal endophytes to combat biotic and abiotic stresses for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem
Guest Editor

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