Filamentous Fungi as Plant Growth Promoters

This chapter discusses fungi as plant growth promoters and their effects on host plants. The use of these fungi in agriculture is an excellent opportunity and strategy for addressing current global agricultural challenges, which include reducing production costs by decreasing dependency on inputs such as mineral fertilizers and minimizing environmental impact through the reduction of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. To achieve these effects, it is necessary to increase the efficiency of soil exploitation by roots, increase nutrient availability and absorption, and reduce losses through erosion, leaching, and volatilization. Some endophytic fungi increase the solubilization of phosphorus and make nitrogen available from organic matter. Another desirable effect is the reduction of pest and disease occurrence, which can be achieved by the synthesis of antimicrobial substances by endophytic fungi. These fungi can also promote increased resistance through the induction of systemic resistance. This chapter also discusses mycorrhizal fungi that have specific modifications compared to endophytic fungi and their unique characteristics in relation to host plants. Finally, this chapter discusses the growth-promoting effects of several entomopathogenic fungi. This chapter aims to characterize fungi as an excellent strategy for sustainable production.