Foliar microbiome transplants confer disease resistance in a critically-endangered plant

摘要: There has been very little effort to incorporate foliar microbiomes into plant conservation efforts even though endophytes are critically important the fitness and function of hosts. Many endangered plants that have extirpated from wild dependent on regular fungicidal applications in greenhouses cannot be maintained for remote out-planted populations, which quickly perish. These fungicides negatively impact potentially beneficial fungal symbionts, may reduce defenses pathogens once fungicide treatments stopped. Using host/parasite system Phyllostegia kaalaensis Neoerysiphe galeopsidis, we conducted experiments test total microbiome transplants healthy relatives onto fungicide-dependent an attempt mitigate disease dependency fungicides. Plants were treated with or cultured subsets this community monitored severity. High-throughput DNA screening ITS1 rDNA was used track leaf-associated communities evaluate effectiveness transplantation methods. Individuals receiving traditionally isolated showed no improvement, but those a simple leaf slurry containing uncultured significant reduction, partially attribute increase mycoparasitic Pseudozyma aphidis. results replicated two independent experimental rounds. Treated since moved native habitat and, as writing, remain disease-free. Our demonstrate low-tech method transferring microbes greenhouse-raised reduced symbiotic microbiota. This technique effective at reducing disease, conferring increased survival population plants. It not closely related plant. Plant should strive include part comprehensive management plans.