Life of microbes on aerial plant parts

Abstract

The phyllosphere, or leaf environment, is a temporally erratic, spatially heterogeneous, and inherently transient habitat that supports a large and diverse population of microorganisms. This chapter offers an introductory exploration of the leaf surface as a microbial biome and of the genes and gene functions that underlie the unique adaptations for epiphytic survival in this inhospitable milieu. Also reviewed are the various ways in which host plant and environmental conditions affect the assembly, structure, and function of microbial communities on plant foliage. Special emphasis is placed on the challenges of studying microbial life on leaf surfaces, on the impact of leaf-associated microbiota on the ecosystem services provided by plant leaves, and on the interactions of epiphytic microorganisms with their host, each other, and plant and human pathogens in the context of food security and food safety.