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Microbial colonization on the leaf surfaces of different genotypes of Napier grass

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Abstract

To address correlations between population sizes of microbes on the leaf surfaces and leaf morphological and physicochemical properties, various leaf morphological and physicochemical features as possible predictors of microbial population sizes on the leaf surfaces of four Napier grass cultivars were assessed. Results indicated microbes except for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) preferred to colonize the leaf surfaces bearing trichomes, and their population sizes were significantly correlated with trichomes, especially for yeasts. The population sizes of microbes were positively correlated with soluble sugar content (p < 0.05). Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between population sizes of microbes and wax content, except for yeasts. The multivariate regression trees (MRT) analysis showed different genotypes of leaf–microbe system could be characterized by four-leaf attributes with soluble sugar of leaf tissues being the primary explanatory attribute. Leaves with soluble sugar content below 9.72 mg g−1 fresh weight (FW) were rarely colonized. For leaves with soluble sugar content above 9.72 mg g−1 FW, water content was the next explanatory leaf attribute, followed by wax content on the leaf surfaces. Leaves with higher water content (> 73%) were more colonized, and small microbial population was associated with higher wax content (> 10.66 mg g−1 dry matter). In conclusion, leaf chemical attributes have a higher contribution than morphological structure properties in determining population sizes of microbes on the leaf surfaces. The exuded soluble sugar and protein promote the development of microbial populations. For different genotypes of leaf–microbe system, the relationship between microbial abundance on their leaf surfaces and leaf morphological structure or physicochemical properties may be predicted by the MRT. Population sizes of microbes are primarily influenced by soluble sugar content under the water-rich conditions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31672486 and 31971764). We are grateful to Weiwei Zhang and Pengyao Lu for their assistance in measuring contact angle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South Pratacultural Center, South China Agricultural University/Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Grassland Science, Guangzhou, 510642, China

    Guojian Tang, Liuxing Xu, Xiang Yin, Yaqin Hu, Jing Tian & Jianguo Zhang

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  1. Guojian Tang
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  2. Liuxing Xu
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  3. Xiang Yin
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  4. Yaqin Hu
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  5. Jing Tian
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Correspondence to Guojian Tang.

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Communicated by Erko stackebrandt.

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Tang, G., Xu, L., Yin, X. et al. Microbial colonization on the leaf surfaces of different genotypes of Napier grass. Arch Microbiol 203, 335–346 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-020-02025-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-020-02025-4

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