Medically important plant biomes: source of secondary metabolites This book provides insights into various aspects of medicinal plant associated microbes known to be a unique source of biological active compounds including their biotechnological uses and their potential in pharmaceutical agricultural and industrial applications. Featuring review papers and original research by leading experts in the field it discusses medicinal plants and their interactions with the environment; medicinal plants as a source of biologically active compounds; medicinal plant associated microbes (diversity and metabolites); their pharmaceutical agricultural and industrial applications as well as their potential applications as plant growth stimulators and biocontrol agents. As such the book offers a valuable up to date overview of the current research on medicinal plants their ecology biochemistry and associated biomes Chapter 1. Ethno botanical aspects of some traditional medicinal plants Chapter 2. Medicinal plant environment interaction and mitigation to abiotic stress Chapter 3. Antibacterial antifungal and antiviral properties of medical plants Chapter 4. Biologically active components of the Western Ghats medicinal fern Diplazium esculentum Chapter 5. Medicinal plants as a source of alkaloids Chapter 6. Nutraceutical and bioactive significance of ferns with emphasis on the medicinal fern Diplazium Chapter 7. Studies on the production of secondary metabolites from medicinal plants by plant tissue cultures Chapter 8. Endophytic bacteria associated with medicinal plants: the treasure trove of antimicrobial compounds Chapter 9. The importance of endophytic fungi from the medicinal plant: Diversity natural bioactive compounds and control of plant pathogens Chapter 10. Medicinal plant associated microbes as a source of protection and production of crops Chapter 11. Endophytic microbial diversity in the halophytic medicinal plant Ferula and their bioapplicable traits Chapter 12. Endophytic bacteria mediated regulation of Secondary metabolites for the growth induction in Hyptis suaveolens under stress Chapter 13. Bioactive potentials of novel molecules from the endophytes of medicinal plants