Prospects of endophytic fungi as a natural resource for the sustainability of crop production in the modern era of changing climate

The world is facing severe consequences of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. As a safer and eco-friendly option for crop nutrition and pest control, endophytic fungi (EFs) are now hotpots in sustainable crop production research. This comprehensive review elucidated the potentials of EF in sustainable crop production amid various biotic and abiotic stress conditions as well as their extraordinary role in phyto- and bioremediation. A critical investigation on how climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall, nutrient level, pH and storage condition affect the survival and performance of EFs are also presented. On-going research majorly focused on the application of endophytic fungi as crop growth promoters, biocontrol agents, and stress mediators. However, a lack of in-depth understanding of the underlying mechanism is predominant. Nevertheless, challenges of successful isolation and identification of EFs hinder their commercialization. Modern genomic technologies and nanotechnology-based applications of EFs can help in overcome the barriers. This review will provide direction for future research where EFs will lead next-generation sustainable strategies to cope with climate change.