Chickpea wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, is a disease that decreases chickpea productivity and quality and can reduce its yield by as much as 15%. A newly isolated, moss rhizoid-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain A7, demonstrated strong inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris growth. An in vitro antimicrobial assay revealed A7 to suppress the growth of several fungal and bacterial plant pathogens by secreting secondary metabolites and by producing volatile compounds. In an in vivo pot experiment with Fusarium wilt infection in chickpea, the antagonist A7 exhibited a disease reduction by 77 ± 1.5%, and significantly reduced the disease incidence and severity indexes. Furthermore, A7 promoted chickpea growth in terms of root and shoot length and dry biomass during pot assay. The strain exhibited several traits associated with plant growth promotion, extracellular enzymatic production, and stress tolerance. Under aluminum stress conditions, in vitro growth of chickpea plants by A7 resulted in a significant increase in root length and plant biomass production. Additionally, hallmark genes for antibiotics production were identified in A7. The methanol extract of strain A7 demonstrated antimicrobial activity, leading to the identification of various antimicrobial compounds based on retention time and molecular weight. These findings strongly suggest that the strain’s significant biocontrol potential and plant growth enhancement could be a potential environmentally friendly process in agricultural crop production.

Fungal endophytes are an emerging source of novel traits and biomolecules suitable for lignocellulosic biomass treatment. This work documents the toxicity tolerance of Colletotrichum sp. OH toward various lignocellulosic pretreatment-derived inhibitors. The effects of aldehydes (vanillin, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; HMF), acids (gallic, formic, levulinic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid), phenolics (hydroquinone, p-coumaric acid), and two pretreatment chemicals (hydrogen peroxide and ionic liquid), on the mycelium growth, biomass accumulation, and lignocellulolytic enzyme activities, were tested. The reported Colletotrichum sp. OH was naturally tolerant to high concentrations of single inhibitors like HMF (IC₅₀; 17.5 mM), levulinic acid (IC₅₀; 29.7 mM), hydroquinone (IC₅₀; 10.76 mM), and H₂O₂ (IC₅₀; 50 mM). The lignocellulolytic enzymes displayed a wide range of single and mixed inhibitor tolerance profiles. The enzymes β-glucosidase and endoglucanase showed H₂O₂- and HMF-dependent activity enhancements. The enzyme β-glucosidase activity was 34% higher in 75 mM and retained 20% activity in 125 mM H₂O₂. Further, β-glucosidase activity increased to 24 and 32% in the presence of 17.76 and 8.8 mM HMF. This research suggests that the Colletotrichum sp. OH, or its enzymes, can be used to pretreat plant biomass, hydrolyze it, and remove inhibitory by-products.

Fungi offer a promising solution for sustainable protein production and global food security as single-cell protein sources (SCPs). Their rapid growth, diverse substrate utilization, and high protein content make them attractive candidates. Key fungal species, including filamentous fungi and yeasts, are explored for their characteristics and applications. Various substrates, focusing on waste valorization and circular economy integration, are analyzed for fungal SCP production. Bioprocess engineering aspects, such as fermentation methods, bioreactor designs, and process optimization, are discussed. The nutritional value, safety, and diverse applications of fungal SCPs, ranging from food and feed to nutraceuticals, bioelectronics, and sustainable packaging materials, are examined. Challenges in scaling up fungal SCP production, including technical, economic, and consumer acceptance issues, are addressed, along with advances in genetic engineering, biorefinery integration, and novel extraction technologies. The economic and environmental impacts of fungal SCP production are evaluated.

As global food security challenges intensify due to climate change, population growth, and resource constraints, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable and nutritious alternative food sources. Fungi represent a vastly underutilized yet promising domain for food innovation, offering unique advantages in nutrition, sustainability, and economic viability. This chapter explores the intersection of fungal biodiversity, food technology, and bioeconomy, examining both traditional knowledge and cutting-edge innovations in fungal-based food systems. The chapter comprehensively analyzes how fungal biodiversity can be used to address global food security challenges while supporting conservation efforts. Secondly, it examines integrating traditional knowledge with modern biotechnology in fungal food production, offering insights into the sustainable scaling of these practices. The emerging production technologies for the future of food systems, followed by practical frameworks for assessing and implementing fungal-based food solutions in various contexts, are discussed.