Powdery mildew-infection changes bacterial community composition in the phyllosphere.

To investigate changes in bacterial communities associated with a fungal foliar disease, epiphytic bacteria from powdery mildew-infected and uninfected leaves of cucumber and Japanese spindle were analyzed using both culture-dependent and -independent methods. Dilution plate counting suggested that powdery mildew-infected leaves likely accommodated larger populations of phyllosphere bacteria than uninfected leaves. Community-level physiological profiles (CLPP) also indicated that functional diversity, richness, and evenness of bacterial communities were significantly greater in the phyllosphere of powdery mildew-infected leaves.