ABSTRACT
Plant-microbe interactions are ubiquitous and diverse in nature. Microbes colonizing plant tissues without causing any apparent disease symptoms are called endophytes. Diversity and community structure of the endophytic assemblages vary according to the plant genotype, tissue type, plant age, edaphic factors, microclimate conditions, and anthropogenic factors. Endophytic microbial diversity is elucidated by different techniques like culture dependent, metagenomics, etc. Endophytes are classified into various categories clavicipitaceous and non-clavicipitaceous, systemic and non-systemic, etc. based on several criteria like taxonomy, functional diversity, biology, and mode of transmission, evolution, ecological functions, etc.
