Fig. 7. Gram-positive bacteria exhibit decreased circularity on synthetic leaf structures derived from high cytokinin content/signaling genotypes.

Indicated bacteria (OD₆₀₀ = 0.01) were spray inoculated onto agar replicas of leaves of the indicated genotypes. Colony circularity of indicated bacteria was measured after 24 h using ImageJ. A, C Box plots are shown with inner quartile ranges (box), outer quartile ranges (whiskers), median (line), depicting results from three independent experiments. Asterisks denote significant differences in colony circularity on and off the synthetic leaf replica derived from each genotype. Upper case letters denote differences in colony circularity on the structure-less agar (“off replica”). Lower case letters indicate statistically significant differences in colony circularity on the synthetic leaf replicas (“on replica”) derived from different genotypes. Asterisks and different letters represent statistically significant differences found in a one-way ANOVA with a Dunnett post hoc test. A N > 50, p < 0.0012. C N > 20, p < 0.017. (**p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001, NS non significant). B, D Images depicting the colony morphology of B. megaterium 4C (B) and B. pumilus R2E (D) growing on the different genotype- derived synthetic leaf structures.