Bacterial endophytic communities in the grapevine depend on pest management

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 11;9(11):e112763. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112763. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Microbial plant endophytes are receiving ever-increasing attention as a result of compelling evidence regarding functional interaction with the host plant. Microbial communities in plants were recently reported to be influenced by numerous environmental and anthropogenic factors, including soil and pest management. In this study we used automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) fingerprinting and pyrosequencing of 16S rDNA to assess the effect of organic production and integrated pest management (IPM) on bacterial endophytic communities in two widespread grapevines cultivars (Merlot and Chardonnay). High levels of the dominant Ralstonia, Burkholderia and Pseudomonas genera were detected in all the samples We found differences in the composition of endophytic communities in grapevines cultivated using organic production and IPM. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) assigned to the Mesorhizobium, Caulobacter and Staphylococcus genera were relatively more abundant in plants from organic vineyards, while Ralstonia, Burkholderia and Stenotrophomonas were more abundant in grapevines from IPM vineyards. Minor differences in bacterial endophytic communities were also found in the grapevines of the two cultivars.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / genetics*
  • Burkholderia / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • Endophytes / physiology*
  • Italy
  • Microbial Consortia / physiology*
  • Pest Control*
  • Pseudomonas / genetics
  • Ralstonia / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods
  • Vitis / microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal

Associated data

  • SRA/SRR1284285
  • SRA/SRR1284286
  • SRA/SRR1284287
  • SRA/SRR1284288
  • SRA/SRR1284289
  • SRA/SRR1284290
  • SRA/SRR1284291
  • SRA/SRR1284292
  • SRA/SRR1284293
  • SRA/SRR1284294
  • SRA/SRR1284295
  • SRA/SRR1284296

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Provincia Autonoma di Trento, progetto PAT - Call 2 Team 2009 - Incoming - Mecagrafic and COST Action FA1103. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Co-author Livio Antonielli is currently employed by Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH. Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH provided support in the form of salary for author Livio Antonielli, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.