Plants live in a close association with microorganisms in below ground soil and above ground air. Versatile endophytic communities of microorganisms often shape symbiotic relationships with host plants, enter the foliar and root tissues, and promote host’s health. Evidence suggests that Cupressoideae subfamily of Cupressaceae (Coniferae) harbors beneficial distinct fungal and bacterial endophytic communities. Besides, the fungal endophytic community in Cupressoideae harbors endohyphal bacteria which indirectly enhance the host plant’s health through interaction with their endophytic fungal hosts. Moreover, data from different experiments suggest that the endophytic communities of Cupressoideae could find applications in agroforestry for plant protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. The endophytic microorganisms isolated from the cupressaceous plants are also being regarded as a novel source of biomolecules with immediate significance in medicine and agroforestry. Thus, Cupressoideae, as an underexplored niche, exhibits great promises for endophyte biology and chemistry, as well as evolutionary studies, with potential uses in pharmaceutical, agricultural and biotechnological industries.
