Seed endophytes: needless or indispensable during plant development? Hasselt University
Endophytes are bacteria that colonize the internal tissues of plants without causing harm to their host. An important subgroup are the seed endophytes which are already present in the plant embryo. Recent studies suggest that seeds can serve as a vector for beneficial bacteria. However, very little is known about the effects of seed endophytes on germination and plant development. Results obtained with Nicotiana tabacum demonstrated that both ...