Agricultural netting does not affect bacterial communities isolated from apples cultivated under holistic management

Abstract

Agricultural netting is increasingly used as a sustainable pest control alternative to chemical pesticides, aiming to protect crops while minimizing environmental and health impacts. However, the effects of such netting on microbial communities, particularly on fruits destined for fermentation like apples, remain underexplored. This study investigates the impact of agricultural netting on the bacterial communities of apples cultivated under holistic management at Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook, NY. Synthetic netting was applied post-bloom to shield apples from insect pests and environmental stresses without interfering with pollination. Bacterial communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, comparing microbiomes from netted and unnetted apples at the end of the growing season. We found no significant differences in overall microbial diversity, community structure, or phylogenetic composition between treated and untreated apples, indicating that netting did not disrupt the core apple microbiome. However, specific bacterial taxa, including stress-tolerant genera such as Acinetobacter sp. and Kineococcus sp., were more abundant on netted apples. These findings suggest that agricultural netting can be used without adversely affecting microbial populations essential for natural cider fermentation. Our work provides valuable insights for producers and researchers into the microbial stability of apples under netting, supporting its potential as a practical approach in sustainable agriculture.