presumable absence of the key enzyme, strictosidine
synthase (STR), which is essential for the synthesis of a key precursor
molecule strictosidine in the CPT biosynthetic pathway or its
impeded activity in the endophyte, F. solani after separation from
the host plant, could be associated with the low and inconsistent
CPT production observed in the study. Hence, an exogenous supply
of precursor(s) (intermediate in CPT biosynthetic pathway) and
elicitor(s) molecules (affecting the activity and expression of key
enzymes involved in CPT biosynthetic pathway) can be an effective
strategy to improve CPT biosynthesis in F. solani.