manipulated microbiome on apple flower stigmas

Flower stigmas emit nutrient rich exudates that support the growth of an assemblage of microorganisms, including both beneficial and pathogenic members. Given the potential role of the microbiome in plant health, manipulating the microbiome to promote growth of beneficial members holds promise in controlling plant disease. Thus, in this study we investigated the effect of four different bacterial strains, alone or in textures of increasing complexity on fire blight occurrence, a disease caused by a bacterium Erwinia amylovora, and on shift in the structure of the stigma microbiome. These four bacterial strains were originally isolated from apple flowers. Findings in this study suggest the microbiome on the flower stigma can be manipulated through microbial inoculation, which may result in significant decreases in disease susceptibility.