Ecology of Neotropical Endophytic Fungi

Endophytic fungi are a diverse group of microorganisms that have different effects on the ecology of the host plant in its healthy state and on its evolution. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain how endophytic fungi manage to infect and often even grow within their hosts without causing visible disease symptoms. The initial hypothesis was that the asymptomatic colonization is based on a balanced antagonism between fungal virulence factors and host defense responses. The more recent proposal is that fungal endophytes, besides maintaining a balanced antagonism with the plant, also maintain a balance with bacterial and other fungal inhabitants of the host. In this chapter, the authors discuss the current knowledge on ecological interaction and signal transduction between Neotropical plants and their endophytic fungal, in addition to some examples of benefits that these fungi can offer to their host plants.