Soil Fungi-Medicinal Plants Interaction

Abstract

Medicinal plants are a natural source of therapeutic compounds and<br>secondary metabolites; therefore, their demand is increasing day by day. Since the last<br>thirty decades, their cultivation as well as preservation with the help of biofertilizers or<br>pesticides is a point of great concern. The rhizosphere is an important area around the<br>roots. It is a habitat for many kinds of microorganisms like fungi. This soil microbial<br>performs a variety of beneficial functions for the growth of plants such as nitrogen<br>fixation, solubilization and removal of toxins. Endophytes are also an important class<br>of microbial flora that helps in the absorption of water and nutrients for the plant.<br>Additionally, they also make plants able to cope with environmental stresses. Fungal<br>endophytes supervise photosynthesis. Certain therapeutically important plants<br>including licorice and white ginger lily can also perform antimicrobial activity<br>depending upon the endophytic composition they have. These types of plants having<br>antimicrobial activity are of great significance as they act as eco-friendly biopesticides.<br>