Endophytic bacteria harbored inCannabisplants have also been bioprospected
for studying their biocontrol efficacy against invading pathogens (Afzal et al. 2015 ).
In this study, dual culture antagonistic assay have been employed against two
phytopathogenic fungi, namelyAspergillus nigerandF. oxysporiumrespectively.
The antagonistic assay was observed for 5–7 days under medium containing a
combination (1:1 ratio) of PDA and Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA). Almost four tofive
endophytic bacterial isolates living in roots and rhizosphere ofCannabisplants
were effective in antagonizing the either one or both pathogens. Among them,
Paenibacillussp. proved to be the most prominent endophyte. Moreover, the fungal
isolatePantoea vagans, which is already a well-known commercialized biocontrol
agent against pome fruit bacterial diseasefire blight (Smits et al. 2011 ), showed
great efficacy in antagonizingF. oxysporium. This further pointed towards the
biocontrol potency of endophytes harbored inCannabisplants.
Every individual interaction represented some form of unfavorable condition
either for the pathogen or endophyte resulting in varying extent of growth inhibi-
tion. Such potential of endophytes are due to the production of bioactive secondary
metabolites or natural products or their immediate intermediates (precursors).
Medicinal plants are often bioprospected for the isolation of endophytes with the
Fig. 20.2 Representative diagram showing antagonistic potential of endophytes against invading
pathogens ofCannabisplants
20 Cannabis Endophytes and Their Application... 425