biostudies-literatureUnknown15Meng Q<i>Camellia reticulata</i>, an ancient plant species endemic to Yunnan Province, China, remains underexplored in terms of its endophytic bacterial communities. The plant tissue pedicel serves as the connection between the flower and the stem, not only delivers nutrients but also transmits metabolic substances from endophytic bacteria to the nectar during long-term microbial colonization and probably improves the antagonistic activity of nectar against yeast. Hence, 138 isolates of endophytic bacteria have been isolated in this study from the pedicels of 12- and 60-year-old <i>C. reticulata</i>. Comparative analysis revealed significantly higher density of endophytic bacteria in older trees. Among these isolates, 29 exhibited inhibitory effects against nectar yeasts. Most of the isolates diFrontiers in microbiology1459354https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11533746biostudies-literatureEndophytic bacteria in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> pedicels: isolation, screening and analysis of antagonistic activity against nectar yeasts.PMC11533746Deng SYue DXun LMeng QDong XDong KZhao WHuang RGong XWu XfalseEndophytic bacteria in <i>Camellia reticulata</i> pedicels: isolation, screening and analysis of antagonistic activity against nectar yeasts.<i>Camellia reticulata</i>, an ancient plant species endemic to Yunnan Province, China, remains underexplored in terms of its endophytic bacterial communities. The plant tissue pedicel serves as the connection between the flower and the stem, not only delivers nutrients but also transmits metabolic substances from endophytic bacteria to the nectar during long-term microbial colonization and probably improves the antagonistic activity of nectar against yeast. Hence, 138 isolates of endophytic bacteria have been isolated in this study from the pedicels of 12- and 60-year-old <i>C. reticulata</i>. Comparative analysis revealed significantly higher density of endophytic bacteria in older trees. Among these isolates, 29 exhibited inhibitory effects against nectar yeasts. Most of the isolates di2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242026-06-03T03:41:02.898Z2025-04-04T22:48:27.155ZS-EPMC115337463949812610.3389/fmicb.2024.1459354