Analysis of the microbiom of leaf surfaces of natural plants of the Transcarpathian region

Abstract

Topicality. Research on the ratio of microorganisms that can exist (persist) on the surface of edible plants, designated as their microbiome, is relevant first of all to predict their potential impact on human health.  Establishment of their additional functional characteristics (plant microbiota) is important for the implementation of microbiological innovations in practice in order to solve modern problems of preservation of agricultural plants and plant raw materials.

The aim of the work was to investigate the peculiarities of formation of surface microbiota of agricultural plants of the region, prioritized by frequency of food consumption by the population and grown in different agroclimatic zones of Transcarpathian region.

Materials and methods: Agricultural plants from three regions of the Transcarpathian region (Uzhhorod, Berehiv and Mizhhirya districts) were selected for the study, namely: fruits of apples (Malus domestica), grapes (Vitis vinifera), cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), sorrel leaves (Rumex acetosa), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), beet (Beta cicia), nettle (Urtica dioica L.), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), onions (Allium fitulosum L.) and garlic (Allium sativum), which are most commonly used for the preparation of fresh dishes. The identification of isolated from green surfaces of plants by microorganisms was carried out by means of crops with subsequent cultivation of dilutions of flushes of leaf surfaces on differential diagnostic and chromogenic media, using biochemical test systems. If necessary, species identity was refined by proteomic analysis using the MALDI-TOF method.

Results. There is a certain affinity in the composition of the epiphytic microbiota of agricultural plants grown in Uzhhorod and Berehiv districts, which can be explained by the concentration of most of the existing enterprises in the region.  Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterococcus faecalis prevailed among isolated microorganisms from the surfaces of edible plants in these areas. In contrast, the quantitative and qualitative composition of the microbiota of agricultural plants grown in the Mizhhirya region, which refers to the mountainous and economically underdeveloped regions with low industrial and agricultural production, was characterized by a greater diversity of isolates and the dominance of typical epiphytic epiphytic bacteria, dill, parsley, red pepper, and grapes. Lactobacillus plantarum strains were also isolated from dill grown in the area.

Prospects. It has been shown that the composition of plant microbiome, which potentially influences the formation of human microbiome, depends on geographical, ecological and anthropogenic factors of the environment. It is significant that the physical and chemical conditions of the soil, the topology of the plant surface and climatic conditions, the content of BAR and the amount of anthropogenic load directly affect the quality and safety of plant products. Because plants, in addition to their own mechanisms of protection (a set of metabolism processes, as well as the ability to respond to the action of the damaging factor), have an additional protective reserve, which is directly related to the genotype of the plant and depends on the composition of the epiphytic microbiome, which gives resistance to abiotic and abiotic loads or promotes plant growth and nutrition. It is important to take into account information about the microbiome of agricultural plants for plant protection, their quality and to predict the results of interaction with the representatives of the beneficial (intestinal) microbiota.