Chapter 18 - Importance of Serendipita (Piriformospora) indica and nanoparticles for abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants

Abstract

Environmental conditions in the form of a variety of stress factors adversely affected the growth, development, and productivity of crop plants globally. Due to the rapid expansion of the global population and increased life expectancy, the huge requirements for food increased significantly, which further led to an increase in the production of food. Various biotic and abiotic stresses led to great extent crop yield penalties across the globe. Stresses induce excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and uptake of toxic ions, which further hinder the growth and development of plants. The adoption of economical and environmentally sustainable solutions to mitigate the effect of stress is the need of the hour. Nano-formulations and microorganisms are advantageous and environmentally friendly agents that encourage the growth of host plants and help them to sustain in difficult situations. Microbes are symbiotic or nonsymbiotic, including bacterial species, actinomycetes, and mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi. Among endophytic fungi, Serendipita (Piriformospora) indica is a cost-effective and ecologically safe agent for increasing agricultural productivity. S. indica-host plant association promotes the acquisition of nutrients, secondary metabolites, osmoprotectants accumulation, and antioxidant potential, which helps in effectively scavenging the ROS, and hence, facilitating the growth of plants. This chapter points out the beneficial characteristics and nano-formulations of S. indica for improving crop quality and abiotic stress tolerance in a sustainable manner.