Short Communication: Microbial Community Change in Virus-Infected Raspberry Plants

Abstract

Interactions between bacteria and plant viruses remain poorly understood. This study examines differences in leaf-associated bacterial communities of virus-infected and virus-negative raspberry plants ( Rubus idaeus L.) collected in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we compared 24 virus-infected and 24 virus-negative samples. Bacterial diversity was lower in virus-infected plants, and community composition significantly differed between groups. The most pronounced differences occurred in samples with mixed viral infections, while RYNV-only samples clustered with virus-free plants. Certain bacterial genera, such as Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas , were more abundant in infected samples, whereas others, like Pantoea , were enriched in healthy plants. Our findings highlight associations between viral presence and bacterial community patterns, but causal relationships remain to be investigated.