Endophytic fungi are asymptomatic microorganisms that inhabit plant tissues and play pivotal roles in regulating crop growth under field conditions. This review first provides an overview of their taxonomy and ecological functions, emphasizing natural diversity and distribution, then systematically summarizes their core mechanisms: enhancing nutrient uptake, regulating phytohormone biosynthesis, promoting root development, and boosting resistance to abiotic stresses (e.g., drought, salinity). We further discuss the agricultural potential and existing challenges, including stability, persistence, and compatibility with current farming practices. Future research directions are outlined to advance sustainable agriculture, focusing on dissecting molecular interactions between endophytic fungi and crops, optimizing application techniques, and evaluating long-term ecological impacts. This work provides a comprehensive reference for agricultural scientists, ecologists, and researchers to facilitate the practical application of endophytic fungi, encouraging further research, and practical applications in this field.
Du et al. (Mon,) studied this question.