Abstract
In the present study, we estimated the size of phyllosphere bacterial populations in young and mature leaves from the same plants and also assessed the population abundance on adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces. We examined eight perennial species naturally occurring in the same area, in Halkidiki (northern Greece). They are Arbutus unedo, Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus, and Myrtus communis (evergreen sclerophyllous species), Lavandula stoechas and Cistus incanus (drought semideciduous species), and Calamintha nepeta and Melissa officinalis (nonwoody perennial species). Young and mature leaves were examined from the four sclerophyllous evergreen species for their epiphytic bacterial colonization, and it was found that mature leaves were highly populated compared to the younger ones except in M. communis. As regards the bacterial colonization of the two leaf surfaces, no differences were found in most species except for the drought semideciduous type where the two leaf surfaces behaved differently.
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Yadav, R.K.P., Karamanoli, K. & Vokou, D. Bacterial populations on the phyllosphere of Mediterranean plants: influence of leaf age and leaf surface. Front. Agric. China 5, 60–63 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-011-1068-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-011-1068-4