Mahnoor Rana
Bio 220W: Food Ecology
Research Paper
Microbial Ecology of Grapes
Grapes ecology is influenced by microorganisms consisting of fungi, yeasts, and bacteria which factor grapes' physical and biochemical characteristics. Some species depend on the grape ripening stage and on the availability of nutrients like yeasts and lactic bacteria, while others are only found inside the grapes, such as parasitic fungi and environmental bacteria (Barata et al. 2012). Similar to other plants grapes also have to deal with the two major microbial, fungi and bacteria. These microorganisms play a major role in grape's ecology. Fungi and bacteria can help grape plants however, it can be pathogenic and can cause diseases. Grapes can be attacked …show more content…
2009). Not only does the fungi harm the grape plants they can use the berries for its nutrition. Bacteria in grapes can bear a wide diversity of bacterial species common in nature or in other food related environments. It can forms complex and dynamic associations with plants that range from mutually beneficial to commensalistic or pathogenic relationships. Bacteria plays important roles in soil quality, host productivity, and host health through direct or indirect mechanisms, such as mineralization of soil organic matter, activating plant defense mechanisms, and even producing antibiotics against phytopathogens (Zarraonaindia et al. 2015). Plants have distinct microbial communities, which varies greatly in grapes plant parts and soil. Research shows how microbial diversity in a grape specie was greater in below ground (roots, root zone, and bulk soil) than aboveground (leaves, flowers, and grapes) samples. The study displayed a decrease in diversity results which were likely caused by the extremes of temperature, UV exposure, and humidity resulting a difference in epiphytes on aboveground organs (Zarraonaindia et al. …show more content…
found in leaves and grapes were said to stimulate plants development through phytohormone production. Steroidobacter spp., which were found in higher abundance in roots than in soil, played an important role in plant development and physiology. Additionally, the availability of brassinosteroids in roots was shown to control seed germination, stem and root elongation, vascular differentiation, fruit ripening, leaf expansion, and stress protection in plants (Zarraonaindia et al. 2015). Zarraonaindia and others also mention how “the enrichment of roots in taxa belonging to the Rhizobiales order, such as Bradyrhizobium spp. (both part of the root core microbiota), may result in N fixation and antibiotic production that would promote plant growth and disease suppression” (2015).
The majority of all bacteria lives in the soil however, there are few that can succeed at becoming plant pathogens. One of the examples in grapevines is Rhizobium vitis, which causes crown gall, and is mainly confined to and spreads via xylem vessels. The pathogen causes damage to the trunks of young grapevines as well as to mature vines which are restructured by heavy pruning (Keller
Bio 220W: Food Ecology
Research Paper
Microbial Ecology of Grapes
Grapes ecology is influenced by microorganisms consisting of fungi, yeasts, and bacteria which factor grapes' physical and biochemical characteristics. Some species depend on the grape ripening stage and on the availability of nutrients like yeasts and lactic bacteria, while others are only found inside the grapes, such as parasitic fungi and environmental bacteria (Barata et al. 2012). Similar to other plants grapes also have to deal with the two major microbial, fungi and bacteria. These microorganisms play a major role in grape's ecology. Fungi and bacteria can help grape plants however, it can be pathogenic and can cause diseases. Grapes can be attacked …show more content…
2009). Not only does the fungi harm the grape plants they can use the berries for its nutrition. Bacteria in grapes can bear a wide diversity of bacterial species common in nature or in other food related environments. It can forms complex and dynamic associations with plants that range from mutually beneficial to commensalistic or pathogenic relationships. Bacteria plays important roles in soil quality, host productivity, and host health through direct or indirect mechanisms, such as mineralization of soil organic matter, activating plant defense mechanisms, and even producing antibiotics against phytopathogens (Zarraonaindia et al. 2015). Plants have distinct microbial communities, which varies greatly in grapes plant parts and soil. Research shows how microbial diversity in a grape specie was greater in below ground (roots, root zone, and bulk soil) than aboveground (leaves, flowers, and grapes) samples. The study displayed a decrease in diversity results which were likely caused by the extremes of temperature, UV exposure, and humidity resulting a difference in epiphytes on aboveground organs (Zarraonaindia et al. …show more content…
found in leaves and grapes were said to stimulate plants development through phytohormone production. Steroidobacter spp., which were found in higher abundance in roots than in soil, played an important role in plant development and physiology. Additionally, the availability of brassinosteroids in roots was shown to control seed germination, stem and root elongation, vascular differentiation, fruit ripening, leaf expansion, and stress protection in plants (Zarraonaindia et al. 2015). Zarraonaindia and others also mention how “the enrichment of roots in taxa belonging to the Rhizobiales order, such as Bradyrhizobium spp. (both part of the root core microbiota), may result in N fixation and antibiotic production that would promote plant growth and disease suppression” (2015).
The majority of all bacteria lives in the soil however, there are few that can succeed at becoming plant pathogens. One of the examples in grapevines is Rhizobium vitis, which causes crown gall, and is mainly confined to and spreads via xylem vessels. The pathogen causes damage to the trunks of young grapevines as well as to mature vines which are restructured by heavy pruning (Keller