Endophytic microbes in Dendrobium: role in endophytic microbial function and accumulation of medicinal compounds

Dendrobium is an important medicinal plant. There is a significant variation in the medicinal efficacy among different species of Dendrobium. Endophytic microorganisms are crucial in determining the medicinal value of Dendrobium. We investigated the relationship between the endophytic microbial communities and accumulation of active components in Dendrobium by analyzing the accumulation of effective components, the composition of endophytic bacteria and fungi, and their inter-relationships, along with the potential functional predictions in 24 species of Dendrobium and their potential efficacy.

Endophytic microbial communities differ across different Dendrobium species, and the diversity and richness of these communities are correlated with the accumulation of active components in Dendrobium. The diversity of endophytic bacteria correlates negatively with the accumulation of Dendrobium polysaccharides, whereas the richness and diversity of endophytic fungi are positively correlated with the accumulation of Dendrobium alkaloids. Pseudomonas, a dominant species with a high relative abundance across all 24 species of Dendrobium, may exert anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Clostridium sensu stricto, Diaporthe, Cyphellophora and Colletotrichum are correlated with the accumulation of active components in Dendrobium. Endophytic bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Mesorhizobium, and endophytic fungi such as Fusarium and Aspergillus, showed a positive correlation with flavonoid accumulation.

The findings of the present study provide a reference for selecting microorganisms that promote the accumulation of effective substances in Dendrobium and the exploitation of the medicinal resources of Dendrobium. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.