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

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.