Chapter 8
Endophytic Actinobacteria for Sustainable
Agricultural Applications
M.F. Carvalho, Y. Ma, R.S. Oliveira and H. Freitas
Abstract Endophytic actinobacteria have the capacity to establish intimate asso-
ciations with plants and colonize their inner tissues without causing apparent dis-
ease symptoms. They can protect plants by producing bioactive compounds that act
as plant growth promoters or biological control agents and, in return, obtain
nutrition and protection from the host plant. The application of endophytic acti-
nobacteria in agriculture has attracted increasing attention. We address isolation and
identification methods and the occurrence and diversity of endophytic actinobac-
teria in agricultural crops. Attention is given to the roles of endophytic acti-
nobacteria in plant growth and development and health promotion for sustainable
agriculture is discussed.
Keywords ActinobacteriaEndophytesSustainable agriculture
Plant growthPromoting bacteriaIsolationBiocontrol
M.F. Carvalho (&)
CIIMAR–Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research,
University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões,
Avenida General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
Y. MaR.S. OliveiraH. Freitas
Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences,
University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas,
3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
R.S. Oliveira
e-mail: [email protected]
H. Freitas
e-mail: [email protected]
R.S. Oliveira
Department of Environmental Health, Research Centre on Health and Environment,
School of Allied Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Porto,
Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
©Springer International Publishing AG 2017
D.K. Maheshwari and K. Annapurna (eds.),Endophytes: Crop Productivity
and Protection, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 16,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-66544-3_8
163