Bioactive Compounds Produced by Neotropical Endophytic Fungi Applied to Agriculture

Food production to adequately supply the world population represents a great challenge for the agricultural sector. Phytopathogenic microbes and weeds are two of the biggest problems in causing high losses in agriculture. The use of pesticides is indispensable in managing these problems. However, the extensive use of these agrochemicals can cause damage to the environment and human health, and, in some cases, affecting the food chain through bioaccumulation. One promising alternative to avoid using the more toxic pesticides is to search for new pesticides derived from natural products that may be less toxic to the environment and human health. Endophytic fungi are considered as a rich reservoir of a wide range of bioactive compounds, including those with pesticidal activities that might be harnessed for use in agricultural pest management. In this chapter, we focus on the antimicrobial and herbicidal compounds derived from endophytic fungi isolated from Neotropical plants and their possible use in agriculture.