Premium
Micro‐organisms at the cut surface and in xylem vessels of rose stems
Author(s) -
Doorn W.G.,
Stigter H.C.M.,
Witte Y.,
Boekestein A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1991.tb03783.x
Subject(s) - xylem , botany , biology , population , bacteria , genetics , demography , sociology
Stems of cut rose flowers ( Rosa hybrida L. cv. ‘Sonia’) were placed in water to study the development of a population of micro‐organisms at the cut surface and in the xylem vessels. The cut surface became covered with bacteria within 2 d of vase life. The bacteria were accompanied by an amorphous substance which was apparently bacterial slime. After 7 d of vase life many fungal hyphae were also found at the cut surface. Inside the xylem vessels the bacteria were often clustered at the inter‐vessel pits. After 4 d of vase life most of the vessels that had been opened by cutting contained bacteria. Only a few xylem elements, located several centimeters from the cut surface, contained an amorphous substance. A few fungal hyphae were observed inside the xylem vessels. No yeasts were found, either at the cut surface or inside the xylem. Pseudomonas species accounted for more than 70% of the total bacterial population of the cut surface and the xylem vessels, and Enterobacter species (mainly Ent. agglomerans ) for less than 10%. Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, Bacillus, Citrobacter and Flavobacterium were occasionally observed.