Phyllosphere represents the leaf surface area. The phyllosphere microbiota is known to provide multiple benefits to the plant hosts such as protection from foliar pathogens, stress tolerance and controlling flowering among other. The microbes that are able to colonize the phyllosphere have to overcome many obstacles - low water content, high radiation, low nutrient environment, temperature fluctuations, etc. It has been shown that phyllosphere can be under influence of plant hosts but less is known about the seasonal dynamics on the phyllosphere and the source of the phyllosphere organisms.

We are addressing these questions in two projects:

• Seasonal dynamics of phyllosphere microbiota on switchgrass and miscanthus grasses over 3 growing seasons
• Investigating functionality of the phyllosphere microbiome through use of omics

Collaboration: Adina Howe

Funding: GLBRC (https://www.glbrc.org/)