Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems.

Background: While substantial research has explored rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, knowledge on flower microbiome, particularly in wild plants remains limited. This study explores into the diversity, abundance, and composition of bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers of wild flowering plants in their natural alpine habitat, considering the influence of environmental factors.

Methods: We investigated 50 wild flowering plants representing 22 families across seven locations in Austria.