14 - Microbial endophytes and their intellectual property rights

Abstract

Plants combat many microbial populations in their life cycle, as pathogen, endophytes, and symbionts. These microorganisms are many times crucial for the completion of complete plant biosynthetic pathways. Endophytes are the choice of microbes whose occurrence has been reported the majority of the plant tissues. Some of these plant-associated microflora are genus and species-specific and form a specific plant microbiome. The endophytes in plants comprise both fungi and bacteria, but in a number of isolates identified as members of fungi is higher than bacteria, while in numbers bacteria are higher. These endophytic microorganisms are taxonomically and ecologically diverse in nature. The colonization of these microbes is supported by their enzymatic secretions that help many ways. These secretions are peculiar for having specific activities. The metabolic pathways of host are commonly not much affected by these microbes. The commercial potential of agriculturally important microorganisms has a tremendous opportunity both for investors as well as consumers. The presence of these endophytes in host gives economically important metabolites or their derivatives which are very precious and demanding in pharma and agriculture industries with increasing demands of organic farm produce have also stimulated the endophyte-based value-added products. So, inventors also need the protection of their products with implementation of novel microflora, the ethical, legal, and financial issues should be taken care. In this chapter, an attempt has been made to summarize the intellectual properties of endophytes and their future potential as a sustainable source for novel product development.