Development of Plant-Fungal Endophyte Associations to Suppress Phoma Stem Canker in .

Endophytic microorganisms are found within the tissues of many plants species, with some conferring several benefits to the host plant including resistance to plant diseases. In this study, two putative endophytic fungi that were previously isolated from wild seeds of , identified as and , were inoculated into cultivars of three species-, and . Both fungal endophytes were reisolated from above- and below-ground tissues of inoculated plants at four different plant-growth stages, including cotyledon, one-leaf, two-leaf, and four-leaf stages. None of the plants colonised by these fungi exhibited any obvious disease symptoms, indicating the formation of novel mutualistic associations. These novel plant-endophyte associations formed between plants and significantly inhibited phoma stem canker, a devastating disease of crops worldwide, caused by the fungal pathogen . The novel association formed with significantly suppressed the amount of disease caused by in one out of two experiments. Although biological control is not a new strategy, endophytic fungi with both antiinsect and antifungal activity are a highly conceivable, sustainable option to manage pests and diseases of economically important crops.