Research Progress of Piriformospora indica in Improving Plant Growth and Stress Resistance to Plant

Abstract

Piriformospora indica (Serendipita indica), a mycorrhizal fungus, has garnered significant attention in recent decades owing to its distinctive capacity to stimulate plant growth and augment plant resilience against environmental stressors. As an axenically cultivable fungus, P. indica exhibits a remarkable ability to colonize varieties of plants and promote symbiotic processes by directly influencing nutrient acquisition and hormone metabolism. The interaction of plant and P. indica raises hormone production including ethylene (ET), jasmonic acid (JA), gibberellin (GA), salicylic acid (SA), and abscisic acid (ABA), which also promotes root proliferation, facilitating improved nutrient acquisition, and subsequently leading to enhanced plant growth and productivity. Additionally, the plant defense system was employed by P. indica colonization and the defense genes associated with oxidation resistance were activated subsequently. This fungus-mediated defense response elicits an elevation in the enzyme activity of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), and, finally, bolsters plant tolerance. Furthermore, P. indica colonization can initiate local and systemic immune responses against fungal and viral plant diseases through signal transduction mechanisms and RNA interference by regulating defense gene expression and sRNA secretion. Consequently, P. indica can serve diverse roles such as plant promoter, biofertilizer, bioprotectant, bioregulator, and bioactivator. A comprehensive review of recent literature will facilitate the elucidation of the mechanistic foundations underlying P. indica–crop interactions. Such discussions will significantly contribute to an in-depth comprehension of the interaction mechanisms, potential applications, and the consequential effects of P. indica on crop protection, enhancement, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Dynamic changes in fungal communities and functions in different air-curing stages of cigar tobacco leaves

“…Fungi are a major group of microorganisms with crucial roles in the natural world. Mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi can enhance plant resistance to diseases and promote plant growth ( Yan et al, 2019 ; Huang et al, 2020 ; Li et al, 2023 ). Wang et al (2023) found that the ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic communities changed with change in successional stage as the number of years increased by studying changes in functional fungi during forest succession.…”

The Influence of Piriformospora indica Colonization on the Root Development and Growth of Cerasus humilis Cuttings

“…Comparable with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which are now widely used in plant production, P. indica can form symbiotic relationships with various plants. However, unlike AMF, P. indica has a wider host range and can be isolated and cultured in various synthetic media, which facilitates the in-depth studies of its interaction with plants [ 2 ]. P. indica exhibits a broad spectrum of effects, encompassing not only the stimulation of plant growth and the enhancement of tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses but also the induction of systemic resistance in plants [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”