Unravelling efficient applications of agriculturally important microorganisms for alleviation of induced inter-cellular oxidative stress in crops

Abiotic stresses like high temperature, cold, freezing, drought, salinity, flooding or oxidizing agents cause significant loss in the crop yield and quality. Abiotic stresses cause reactive oxygen species (ROS) production such as singlet oxygen (1O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical (O2•−), hydroxyl radical (OH-), etc., that leads to a significant reduction of crop yield. A major source of ROS production in plants through aerobic metabolism is chloroplast, mitochondria, and peroxisome. The tripartite interactions involving Trichoderma- Phytopathogen-Host have received less attention in contrast to the plant–antagonist, plant–pathogen or pathogen–antagonist interactions. This article explores the possibilities of employing thermotolerant strains of agriculturally important microorganisms (AIMs) for alleviating the oxidative stress induced due heat stress in crops by modulating oxidative and defense network of the host.