ABSTRACT
Deterioration of the natural environment requires the development of new ecological and sustainable methods for removing pollution. Bioremediation technology, which uses the metabolic potential of microorganisms, is one of the most effective, economically viable and socially accepted method of cleaning up the environment. Regarding the search for new sources of microorganisms, showing high activity towards such contaminations as polychlorinated biphenyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum compounds, aromatic dyes, pesticides etc., the interest of researchers in endophytic microorganisms has increased in recent years. Synanthropic (ruderal) plants may be a particularly promising source of endophytes with high degradation activity. During the long course of the plant-endophyte relationship in a contaminated site, endophytes not only help in the degradation of contaminants, but also help in promoting plant growth, as well as in developing tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stress.
This chapter discusses the possible use of endophytic microorganisms isolated from synanthropic plants for cleaning up the environment from organic pollutants. The use of endophytic microorganisms as a source of plant growth promoting compounds was also explained.
