Role of Endophyte in Salinity Stress Amelioration by Growth, Physiology, and Biochemistry Mechanisms of Defense: A Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

Endophytes, a class of endosymbiotic microorganisms widely distributed among plants, are becoming a promising strategy for improving plant salt stress tolerance. However, the role of endophytes in mitigating salinity is not yet fully understood. Here, based on a database including 2143 paired observations from 98 papers, a meta-analysis was conducted on the role of endophytes in plant responses to salt stress and the different responses conferred by endophytic fungi and bacteria, C₃ and C₄ plants and high, middle, and low salt levels. The results showed that endophytes directly or indirectly triggered significant alterations in the physiological activity, phytohormone, osmotic regulation, and antioxidant capacity of plants to improve the salt tolerance of plants. Endophytic bacteria maintained biomass better, while endophytic fungi regulated osmotic pressure, hormone levels, and oxidative damage better, which is due to endophytic fungi slowing plant growth to adapt to salt stress. Endophytes maintained biomass and photosynthesis better in C₃ plants, and water content and clearing reactive oxygen species (ROS) better in C₄ plants, attributed to higher water, nitrogen, and radiation use efficiencies and the unique photosynthesis mechanism of C₄ plants. Under high and middle salt stress, the endophytes reduced salt stress better than under low salt stress, which is due to endophytes significantly increasing regulated genes and changing metabolic pathways under salt stress. These results are important to improve our understanding of endophyte-plant symbiont mechanisms to salt stress and further enhance salt resistance by endophyte inoculation.