Phyllosphere Microbiology provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the microbiology of plant surfaces. The reader will gain timely perspectives on the progress of the study of the unique microorganisms that reside in this habitat as well as an understanding of why these studies are making great contributions to the field of microbial ecology as a whole.

The book focuses on five main areas: the physical and chemical environment of plants; interactions between epiphytes and their hosts; interactions among microbes on plant surfaces; the contribution of plant surface microbes to agricultural practices and food safety; and modeling of interactions and movement of microbes on plant surfaces.

The title also addresses the management of important plant and human health problems, including timely topics such as an extensive coverage of food microbiology and the role of plants as sources of food-borne human pathogens, biological control of plant diseases, and the importance of plant surfaces as the site of gene transfer among organisms. More than 80 illustrations of leaf surfaces, microbes, and processes occurring on leaves provide the reader with excellent visual references while the breadth and perspective of this book relates plant surface microbiology to broader fields of study in ecology and microbiology.

Each chapter provides a comprehensive reference list of relevant literature in the field of microbiology while the index provides thorough information on technical terms and organisms covered. Based on the 7th International Symposium on the Microbiology of Aerial Plant Surfaces, the viewpoints from many experts in the field make this an excellent reference for plant pathologists, plant and microbial ecologists, students, food science and plant pathology researchers, as well as anyone interested in plant pathogens, biological control organisms, and food safety.

Phyllosphere Microbiology

Part I: The Physical and Chemical Environment of Plant Surfaces

Chapter 1: Leaf Surface Waxes and the Process of Leaf Colonization by Microorganisms

Gwyn A. Beattie

Chapter 2: Ultraviolet Radiation on Leaves: Its Influence on Microbial Communities and Their Adaptations

George W. Sundin

Chapter 3: Mapping Uncharted Territory: Nanoscale Leaf Surface Topology

Wendy Mechaber

Part II: Interactions Between Epiphytes and Their Hosts

Chapter 4: Adhesion of Yeasts to Leaf Surfaces

John H. Andrews and James W. Buck

Chapter 5: Revisiting the Roles of Immigration and Growth in the Development of Populations of Pseudomonas syringae in the Phyllosphere

Christen D. Upper and Susan S. Hirano

Chapter 6: Effect of Pathogenicity-Associated Genes on Field Fitness of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae

Susan S. Hirano and Christen D. Upper

Chapter 7: The Role of Pili and Flagella in Leaf Colonization by Pseudomonas syringae

Martin Romantschuk, Tristan Boureau, Elina Roine, Minna Haapalainen and Suvi Taira

Chapter 8: Endophytic Versus Epiphytic Colonization of Plants: What Comes First?

Charles R. Manceau and Mostafa Niknejad Kasempour

Chapter 9: Methylobacterium spp.: Phylloplane Bacteria Involved in Cross-Talk With the Plant Host?

Mark A. Holland, Robbin L. G. Long and Joe C. Polacco

Part III: Interactions Among Microbes on Plant Surfaces

Chapter 10: Biofilms on Leaf Surfaces: Implications for the Biology, Ecology and Management of Populations of Epiphytic Bacteria

Cindy E. Morris, Mary B. Barnes and Robert J. C. McLean

Chapter 11: Defenses Against Bacterial Colonization of Marine Plants

Staffan Kjelleberg and Peter D. Steinberg

Chapter 12: Population Dynamics, Gene Transfer and Gene Expression in Plasmids, the Role of the Horizontal Gene Pool in Local Adaptation at the Plant Surface

Mark J. Bailey, P. B. Rainey, X-X. Zhang and A. K. Lilley

Chapter 13: Ecological Processes and Interactions Occurring in Leaf Surface Fungi

Richard R. Bélanger and Tyler J. Avis

Chapter 14: Population Structure of Xanthomonads with Endophytic and Epiphytic Phases: The Example of the Pathovar mangiferaeindicae/Mango Pathosystem

Olivier Pruvost and Lionel Gagnevin

Part IV: Plant Surface Microbes: Agricultural Practices and Food Quality

Chapter 15: Biological Control of Fire Blight: Understanding Interactions Among Introduced and Indigenous Microbial Communities

Virginia O. Stockwell, Kenneth B. Johnson and Joyce E. Loper

Chapter 16: Production Practices Affecting the Potential for Persistent Contamination of Plants by Microbial Foodborne Pathogens

Trevor Suslow

Chapter 17: Population Genetics of Xanthomonas oryzae: Applications to Disease Control

Hei Leung, Casiana Vera Cruz and Jan Leach

Part V: Modeling of Interactions and Movement of Microbes on Plant Surfaces

Chapter 18: Leaves as Islands of Spatial and Temporal Variation: Consequences for Plant Herbivores, Pathogens, Communities and Ecosystems

Thomas G. Whitham and Jennifer A. Schweitzer

Chapter 19: Implications of a Leaf Surface Habitat for Fungal Community Structure and Function

John C. Zak

Chapter 20: Resource Aggregation in the Phyllosphere: Implications for Microbial Dynamics Across Spatial Scales

Linda L. Kinkel, M. R. Newton and K. J. Leonard

Chapter 21: Aerobiology of Fungi in Relation to Capture and Release by Plants

Donald E. Aylor

Part VI: Contributions of Phyllosphere Microbiology to Science and Agriculture

Chapter 22: Fifty Years of Phyllosphere Microbiology: Significant Contributions to Research in Related Fields

Cindy E. Morris and Linda L. Kinkel

List of Contributors
Index

"Whilst other books tend to focus on either bacteria or fungi or pathogens, the strength of this symposium series is that it integrates all aspects of leaf surface microbiology."
—Mycological Research

“An excellent book at an excellent price that is essential reading for all plant microbiologists with an interest in the biology and ecology of bacteria and fungi on aerial plant surfaces.”
—The British Mycological Society

“I consider this book of a great value not only for specialists in the phyllosphere but also for other microbiologists, mycologists, ecologists and plant pathologists.”
—Czech Mycology

Publish Date: 2002
Format: 7” x 10” hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-89054-286-6
Pages: 408
Images: 83 images
Publication Weight: 3 lbs