ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI: FUTURISTIC TOOL FOR BIOREMEDIATION

The global concern of contamination of water and land with heavy metals has gotten more complicated. Given that increased metal concentrations in terrestrial and aquatic system constitute treat to mankind as well as to animals, this topic has gained tremendous attention of young researchers from all over the world. The metabolism and growth among most plants were impaired by high concentrations of heavy metals. Several traditional techniques have been employed to overcome the problem of heavy metals. However, these techniques have a number of disadvantages such as high cost, large energy requirements, and inappropriate conversion of heavy metals. Bioremediation is the most effective and promising method for treating heavy metals. Microorganisms have the capacity to minimize the toxic effects caused by heavy metals on plants. Despite their limited research to far, endophytic fungi is an effective source for shielding plants from the toxicity of heavy metals. All higher plants have endophytic fungi that live in their internal tissues asymptomatically without having any negative consequences on the host. Endophytic mycoflora provide their host plant with advantages such as improved plant development, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and generation of significant and valuable pharmacological, medicinal, and therapeutical substances. Endophytes increase the effectiveness of bioremediation by lowering the toxicity of plants to heavy metals.