Abstract
Owing to its exceptional ability to efficiently promote plant growth, protection and stress tolerance, a mycorrhiza like endophytic Agaricomycetes fungus Piriformospora indica has received a great attention over the last few decades. P. indica is an axenically cultiviable fungus which exhibits its versatility for colonizing/hosting a broad range of plant species through directly manipulating plant hormone-signaling pathway during the course of mutualism. P. indica-root colonization leads to a better plant performance in all respect, including enhanced root proliferation by indole-3-acetic acid production which in turn results into better nutrient-acquisition and subsequently to improved crop growth and productivity. Additionally, P. indica can induce both local and systemic resistance to fungal and viral plant diseases through signal transduction. P. indica-mediated stimulation in antioxidant defense system components and expressing stress-related genes can confer crop/plant stress tolerance. Therefore, P. indica can biotize micropropagated plantlets and also help these plants to overcome transplantation shock. Nevertheless, it can also be involved in a more complex symbiotic relationship, such as tripartite symbiosis and can enhance population dynamic of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. In brief, P. indica can be utilized as a plant promoter, bio-fertilizer, bioprotector, bioregulator, and biotization agent. The outcome of the recent literature appraised herein will help us to understand the physiological and molecular bases of mechanisms underlying P. indica-crop plant mutual relationship. Together, the discussion will be functional to comprehend the usefulness of crop plant-P. indica association in both achieving new insights into crop protection/improvement as well as in sustainable agriculture production.
Highlights
In natural ecosystems, a variety of microorganisms seek to obtain nutrients for their survival by interacting with plants, where the interaction can be neutral, harmful, or beneficial to the host (Shen et al, 2006; Thrall et al, 2007)
Protection against leaf blight caused by Alternaria brassicae Protection against Verticillium wilt caused by V. dahlia Protection against rhizoctonia root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani Protection against Fusarium wilt and black root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and Thielaviopsis basicola, respectively
The significant number of reports accumulated during last one decade has confirmed the P. indica-mediated improvements in the growth and yield of various plants, which includes crop plants, horticultural and medicinal plants. These reports support the role of P. indica in crop tolerance to a number of abiotic as well as biotic stresses
Summary
A variety of microorganisms seek to obtain nutrients for their survival by interacting with plants, where the interaction can be neutral, harmful (parasitism), or beneficial (mutualism or symbiosis) to the host (Shen et al, 2006; Thrall et al, 2007). Piriformospora indica, an axenically cultivable phytopromotional, biotrophic mutualistic root endosymbiont belongs to order Sebacinales (Basidiomycota) and has been reported to mimic capabilities of typical arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi This fungus can colonize roots of a wide range of higher plants and provide plants multifaceted amenities (such as nutrient uptake, disease resistance, stress tolerance and growthpromotion involving value addition) (Unnikumar et al, 2013). The occurrence of the DELDs was further correlated with the presence of transposable elements in gene-poor repeatrich regions of the genome similar to the effectors found in other filamentous organisms These findings together, helped to understand the development of biotrophic plant symbionts and suggested a series of incremental shifts along the continuum from saprotrophy toward biotrophy in the evolution of mycorrhizal association from decomposer fungi (Zuccaro et al, 2011). Phytohormones and Ca2+ (which might occur at the plant-fungus interface) can direct the molecular and physiological processes responsible for the actual mechanism of P. indica colonization with plants providing various benefits to plants (Figure 2)
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