Harnessing Seed Endophytic Microbiomes: A Hidden Treasure for Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture
- PMID: 40805770
- PMCID: PMC12349327
- DOI: 10.3390/plants14152421
Harnessing Seed Endophytic Microbiomes: A Hidden Treasure for Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture
Abstract
Microbes perform diverse and vital functions in animals, plants, and humans, and among them, plant-associated microbiomes, especially endophytes, have attracted growing scientific interest in recent years. Numerous plant species thriving in diverse environments have been shown to host endophytic microbes. While endophytic bacteria commonly colonize plant tissues such as stems, roots, and leaves, seed-associated endophytes generally exhibit lower diversity compared to those in other plant compartments. Nevertheless, seed-borne microbes are of particular importance, as they represent the initial microbial inoculum that influences a plant's critical early developmental stages. The seed endophytic microbiome is of particular interest due to its potential for vertical transmission and its capacity to produce a broad array of phytohormones, enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, and other secondary metabolites. Collectively, these functions contribute to enhanced plant biomass and yield, especially under abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Despite their multifaceted roles, seed microbiomes remain underexplored in plant ecology, and their potential benefits are not yet fully understood. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of the diversity, community composition, mechanisms of action, and agricultural significance of seed endophytic microbes. Furthermore, it synthesizes current insights into how seed endophytes promote plant health and productivity and proposes future research directions to fully harness their potential in sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: plant growth and health; plant–microbe interactions; seed endophytes; stress amelioration.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Prescription of Controlled Substances: Benefits and Risks.2025 Jul 6. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. 2025 Jul 6. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 30726003 Free Books & Documents.
-
Ecological mechanisms of microbial assembly in clonal plant Glechoma longituba: from soil to endosphere.Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025 Jun 18;91(6):e0033625. doi: 10.1128/aem.00336-25. Epub 2025 May 12. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025. PMID: 40353652 Free PMC article.
-
Effects of parental care on skin microbial community composition in poison frogs.Elife. 2025 Jul 31;14:RP103331. doi: 10.7554/eLife.103331. Elife. 2025. PMID: 40742751 Free PMC article.
-
A systematic review on endophytic fungi and its role in the commercial applications.Planta. 2023 Mar 1;257(4):70. doi: 10.1007/s00425-023-04087-2. Planta. 2023. PMID: 36856911
-
Selected honey as a multifaceted antimicrobial agent: review of compounds, mechanisms, and research challenges.Future Microbiol. 2025 May-Jun;20(7-9):589-610. doi: 10.1080/17460913.2025.2498233. Epub 2025 Apr 28. Future Microbiol. 2025. PMID: 40293032 Review.
References
-
- Malfanova N., Lugtenberg B.J., Berg G. Bacterial endophytes, who and where and what are they doing there? In: De Bruijn F.J., editor. Molecular Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere. Wiley-Blackwell; Hoboken, NJ, USA: 2013. pp. 391–403.
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources