Bacterial communities in the phyllosphere are shaped by host genotype and phenotype and spatio-temporal variation of the environment. In turn, bacteria have the potential for altering the plant phenotype. Field experiments can help to estimate bacterial effects on plant functional traits under natural conditions. We used a transplantation approach of culturable bacterial communities to explore how manipulation of leaf-associat...

Summary The plant endosphere is colonized by complex microbial communities and microorganisms, which colonize the plant interior at least part of their lifetime and are termed endophytes. Their functions range from mutualism to pathogenicity. All plant organs and tissues are generally colonized by bacterial endophytes and their diversity and composition depend on the plant, the plant organ and its physiological conditions, the...

Summary Quantitative PCR ( qPCR ) and community fingerprinting methods, such as the Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism ( T ‐ RFLP ) analysis, are well‐suited techniques for the examination of microbial community structures. The use of phylum‐ and class‐specific primers can provide enhanced sensitivity and phylogenetic resolution as compared with domain‐specific primers. To date, several phylum‐ and class‐specifi...