[ad_1]
A Toronto-based team of ecologists has identified certain fungi and bacteria that have consistent relationships with coffee plants. The study, published by the American Society for Plant Pathology, is shedding new light on how coffee plants will respond to changing weather conditions.
Experts turned to the root tissues of coffee to search for a “central microbiome” or microorganisms closely associated with coffee plants.
The research team used advanced sequencing techniques on coffee samples from several Central American farms that had drastically different environmental conditions and management practices.
The constant presence of certain microbes within a particular plant is strongly indicative of symbiotic relationships, which are associations formed for the benefit of one or both organisms.
The researchers discovered 26 bacterial and 31 fungal species that met their criteria for membership in the central microbiome. Some of the species have been previously recognized as having beneficial properties for plants and are good candidates for future research.
“The bacterial nucleus microbiome is much stronger and more consistent, while the fungal microbiome is more sensitive to environmental conditions that are expected to expand in range with climate change,” explained study co-author Roberta Fulthorpe. “We also found that the fungi appear to be related to the characteristics of the coffee root, while the bacteria are not.”
The finding that several highly abundant microbial species persist in coffee is remarkable, according to study co-author Adam Martin.
“That the same species is found in a wide range of temperatures, rainfall, soil conditions, and light availability is new evidence of a central microbiome that actually exists in real-world conditions,” said Martin.
“Our results open the door to understanding whether or how microbiomes can be managed in real-world culture systems. Our work also leads to interesting questions about whether the taste of our morning cup of coffee is influenced by the plant’s microbes. “
The study is published in the Phytobiome Journal.
–
By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer
[ad_2]
