Santhakumar phyllosphere

1. Santhakumar.M
II-M.Sc microbiology
Department of microbiology
Periyar university
SALEM-11

2. Phyllosphere
Rhizosphere

3. MICROSCOPIC APPERIENCE OF PHYLLOSPHERE BACTERIA

4. ELECTRON MICROGRAPH SHOWING BACTERIA

5. Epiphytic = organisms growing on the surface of
photosynthetic organisms
Phylloplane = leaf surface
Phyllosphere = area surrounding the leaf
Rhizoplane = root surface
Rhizosphere = area surrounding the root

6. Bacteria – Pseudomonas, Bejerinckia,etc,.
Fungi- Aspergillus sp,Alternaria, Cladosporium
Yeast - Caandida albicancs, Saccharomyces
cerevissiae
Phylloplane consist of several types of
saprotrophs,symbionts and pathogens

7. Caulosphere (stems)
Phylloplane (leaves)
Anthosphere (flowers)
Carposphere (fruits)
Most plants host diverse communities of microorganisms including bacteria,
fungi, archaea, and protists

8.  The leaf – surface is termed as phylloplane and the
zone on leaves inhabited by the micro-orgagisms is
called phyllosphere.
 The term phyllosphere was coined by the Dutch
microbiologist,Ruinen.J.1961 from her observations
on indonesian forest vegetation where thick
microbial epiphytic associations exits on leaves. In
puerto Rico,
 The phyllosphere is a term used in microbiology to
refer to the total above-ground portions of plants
as habitat for microorganisms.

9.  The establishment of flora on the leaf – surface aided by cuticle
. Waxes and appendages helps in providing anchorage to the
micro-organisms
 The leaves surfaece normally consistts of some microbial
population
 In general apart from nitrogen –fixing bacteria ilke azotobacter,
other genera such as Pseudomonas,Pseudobacterium, Phytomonas,
Erwinia, Sarcina and other unidentified ones have been
encountered on plant surface, especially on leaf surface .
 The dominant and useful microorganisms on the leaf surfaces in
the forest vegetation indonesia happened to to nitrogen fixating
bacteria such as Beijerinckia and Azotobacter.

10.  Anabaena
 Calothrix
 Nostoc
 Scytonema and
 Tolypothrix
Nitrogen –fixing
Bacteria
Nitrogen –fixing Blue
Green Algae
 Azotobacter
 Rhizobium
 Pseudomonas
 Pseudobacterium
 Phytomonas
 Erwinia and
 Sarcina

11.  Aspergillus
 Alternaria
 Cercospora
 Cryptococcus
 Candida
 Cladosporium
 Penicillium
 Fusarium
 Colletotrichum
 Verticillium
 Actinomyces
 streptomyces
FUNGUS ACTINOMYCETES

12. Research into the characteristics of microbial life in the phyllosphere is of great
commercial importance to the agricultural industry for two reasons
First, understanding the survival of plant disease-causing bacteria and fungi is vital for
developing new ways to control their spread.
Second, there has been a recent rise in the number of food poisoning cases associated
with fruit and vegetables contaminated with bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli
O157:H7.
This is particularly true of fresh fruits and salads which are not cooked prior to consumption.
Preventing these outbreaks by developing better decontamination strategies is
important to protect public health.

13.  Leaf surface microorganisms may perform an effctive
function in controlling the spread of air- born pathogen on
the surface of leaves and pods results in the formation of
a substance referred to as phytoalexin.
 Alternatively the phytoalexin may be normally present in
plants and the concentration of such a substance may rise
markedly in response to microbial infection.
 The term phytoalexin is derived from Greek phyto meaning
plant and alexin meaning warding – off compound.
 The fungal spores produce a chemical substance or substance
which are active in inducing the production of phytoalexins by
the host as a defence reaction .

14. S,NO PLANT INCITANTS PHYTOALEXIN
1. Soya bean
(Glycine max)
Phytopthora sojae Hydroxyphaseolin
2. Potato
(Solanum tuberosum)
Phytopthora infestans Solanine
3. Pea
(Pisum sativum)
Penicillium expansum Pisatin
4. Tobacco
(Nicotiana tabacum)
Pseudomonas
Solanacearum
Scopolin
5. Apple
(Pyrus malus)
Venturia inaequalis Phloridzin

15. MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES ON LEAVES
The microbial communities of leaves are diverse and include many different genera of
bacteria, filamentous fungi, yeasts, algae, and, less frequently, protozoa and nematodes.
Filamentous fungi are considered transient inhabitants of leaf surfaces, being present
predominantly as spores, whereas rapidly sporulating species and yeasts colonize this
habitat more actively (1). Bacteria are by far the most abundant inhabitants of the
phyllosphere.