Improved phyllosphere microbiome composition of tea plant with the application of small peptides in combination with rhamnolipid

BACKGROUND: Small peptides play a crucial role in plant growth and adaptation to the environment. Exogenous small peptides are often applied together with surfactants as foliar fertilizers, but the impact of small peptides and surfactants on the tea phyllosphere microbiome remains unknown. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated the effects of small peptides and different surfactants on the tea phyllosphere microbiome using 16S and ITS sequencing. Our results showed that the use of small peptides reduced the bacterial diversity of the tea phyllosphere microbiome and increased the fungal diversity, while the use of surfactants influenced the diversity of bacteria and fungi. Furthermore, the addition of rhamnolipid to small peptides significantly improved the tea phyllosphere microbiome community structure, making beneficial microorganisms such as Pseudomonas, Chryseobacterium, Meyerozyma, and Vishniacozyma dominant populations. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the combined use of small peptides and surfactants can significantly modify the tea phyllosphere microbiome community structure, particularly for beneficial microorganisms closely related to tea plant health. Thus, this preliminary study offers initial insights that could guide the application of small peptides and surfactants in agricultural production, particularly with respect to their potential for modulating the phyllosphere microbiome community in tea plant management. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-023-03043-0.