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Genetic diversity and phylogeny of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria isolated from the phyllosphere of tropical crop plants

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Abstract

Genetic diversity of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria belonging to the genus, Methylobacterium, was assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and differential carbon-substrate utilization profile in the phyllosphere of cotton, maize, sunflower, soybean, and mentha plants. Methylobacterium populi, Methylobacterium thiocyanatum, Methylobacterium suomiense, M. aminovorans, and Methylobacterium fujisawaense were identified to colonize the phyllosphere of these crop plants. Among these, M. populi found to be the dominating species followed by M. aminovorans. The diversity indices like Shannon index of diversity, Pielou index of evenness, and Margalef index of richness calculated based on combined data of ARDRA, 16S rRNA gene sequence, and differential carbon-substrate utilization revealed that sunflower leaves showed richest methylobacterial diversity, followed by soybean, while cotton and mentha leaves recorded the lowest diversity. The outcome of this study indicates that diversity of Methylobacterium in phyllosphere depends upon the host plant species colonized.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the research project of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi through TMC-Mission Mode Project for Sustainable and cost effective production of high quality cotton in fiber. The authors are also thankful to Dr. T. Sa, Chungbuk National University, Republic of Korea and Dr. P. Jourand, Campus International de Baillarguet, France for providing type strains of Methylobacterium species. We are thankful to Lisa Scheper, Florida International University, Maimi, FL, USA for reviewing and valuable suggestions.

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  1. Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641 003, India

    P. Raja, D. Balachandar & S. P. Sundaram

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  1. P. Raja
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Correspondence to S. P. Sundaram.

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Raja, P., Balachandar, D. & Sundaram, S.P. Genetic diversity and phylogeny of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria isolated from the phyllosphere of tropical crop plants. Biol Fertil Soils 45, 45–53 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-008-0306-2

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