Microbial diversity on vase water and cut flowers stems
Microbes significantly affect postharvest quality, so it is vital to understand which microbes are present when learning more about their roles in postharvest physiology. While previous culture-based studies revealed that specific genera of microbes tend to be present on different flowers, it is unclear if and how the composition of microbial communities changes during the vase period. In this project, we aimed to begin answering these questions by analyzing the 16S sequences amplified from DNA extracted from water and flower stems. We compared the microbial communities between flowers and the changes in microbial communities during the vase period.