Summary
This narrative review examines the potential of endophytic bacteria to enhance medicinal plant cultivation whilst mitigating the microbial disruption caused by domestication and chemical inputs. The authors synthesise evidence that endophytes can directly boost productivity through growth promotion and stress resistance, or indirectly restore soil health and microbial diversity; they also highlight the emerging biotechnological application of endophytes as microbial factories for producing bioactive compounds. The review proposes that integrating microbiome science with traditional agricultural practice could deliver more sustainable, productive cultivation systems whilst supporting biodiversity conservation.
Regional applicability
The findings are relevant to UK medicinal plant growers and horticulturists seeking to reduce chemical inputs and improve crop resilience under variable climatic conditions. However, the review appears globally focused; specific adaptation to UK soil types, climate zones, and regulatory frameworks around microbial inoculants would require additional research.
Key measures
Plant growth promotion, phytochemical quality, nutrient acquisition, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, soil microbial diversity, secondary metabolite production
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises evidence on how endophytic bacteria enhance medicinal plant productivity and phytochemical quality whilst restoring soil microbial diversity disrupted by conventional cultivation and chemical fertiliser use. It examines mechanisms by which endophytes function as growth promoters, stress-resistance agents, and biofactories for bioactive compound production.
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