Endophytic fungi of the genus Talaromyces and plant health

In recent years the microbial associates of plants have been increasingly considered an essential tool for improving crop production while reducing the input of agrochemicals. With special reference to fungi, new achievements have shown that their application in crop management can go beyond the specific role that has been traditionally assigned to certain species and that strains combining aptitudes as plant growth promoters and antagonists of pests and pathogens can be used as multipurpose agents for improving plant fitness and crop yields. Species in the genus Talaromyces (Eurotiomycetes, Trichocomaceae) have been more and more widely reported for endophytic occurrence in investigations carried out in various agricultural and non-agricultural contexts. Our review of the available literature pointed out that 46 out of a total of over 170 species currently accepted in this genus have been found as endophytic associates of 281 plant species belonging to 108 families, with an evident raising trend that will likely lead to a notable increase of these figures shortly. Mutualistic interactions of these fungi with plants are analyzed in this paper regarding the ecological impact and applicative perspectives in sustainable agriculture.