The endosphere bacteriome of diseased and healthy tomato plants

Abstract

Here we analyze the microbial community of healthy and diseased tomato plants to evaluate its impact on plant health. The organisms found in all samples mainly belonged to 4 phyla: <i>Actinobacteria</i>, <i>Bacteroidetes</i>, <i>Firmicutes</i> and <i>Proteobacteria</i>. The Proteobacteria were the highest relative abundant within the endophytic communities of different plant organs of diseased tomato. Among endophytic bacteria of tomato, only a few taxa could be cultured. Here we showed that only a few taxa of bacteria inhabiting tomato plants could be cultured and that all plant organs have a highly diverse endophytic bacterial, whose activity might affect plant growth and development as well as health. The roots seem to be an important barrier for microbes and leaves appear to be the organs with the higher diversity which is incidentally related to plant health. Fruits also contain a complex bacterial community that appeared to be unaffected by foliar diseases such as gray leaf spot at least under the conditions studied.