Chaetomium globosum

Chaetomium globosum are endophytic to many plants. Their asymptomatic colonization supports plant tolerance to metal toxicity. Heavy metals such as copper, suppress plant growth and disrupt metabolic processes, e.g. photosynthesis. When maize plants were treated with C. globosum, they expressed less growth inhibition and increased biomass. C. globosum is also known to reside in Ginkgo biloba plants. Such plants use this endophytic fungus to suppress bacterial pathogens. In fact, ascospore inoculation reduces bacterial disease symptoms such as wilting, apple scabs, and seed blight in treated plants. Enhancing plant stress tolerance and microbial defense, renders C. globosum application beneficial for agricultural use.