This study characterized boxwood shoot bacterial and fungal communities from of cultivars ‘Vardar Valley’ and ‘Justin Brouwers’ boxwood and assessed the effect of three film-forming anti-desiccants on these microbial communities. We found that the boxwood phyllosphere was a hub for a wealth of fungal genera that are known as pathogens and saprophytes, but the identified bacterial communities included many genera having species and strains known to benefit plant growth and health. The Our research indicated that abundance of several predominant fungial composition varied more between the two cultivars compared tothan that of the bacterial communities, this could be attributed to different plant age and size, cultural practices and microclimate. Foliar application of three film-forming anti-desiccants altered both fungal and bacterial community compositions, but the effect was more marked and suppressive on fungi than bacteria. These results advanced our understanding of the microbiome for this landmark plant and the impacts of film-forming anti-desiccants on plant microbiomes. This study also provides a good example for examining other anti-desiccant products for their potential effects on crop microbiomes, enabling growers to utilize the full benefits of anti-desiccant action while minimizing any their negative impact on the beneficial microbes of particular compounds.
Xiaoping Li,
Olanike Omolehin,
Ginger Hemmings,
Tsien Tzer Tseng,
Amanda Taylor,
Chad Taylor,
Ping Kong,
Margery Daughtrey,
Douglas Luster,
Fred Gouker,
Chuanxue Hong