VIEW ARTICLE

Ecology and Epidemiology

Survival of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria in Florida on Tomato Crop Residue, Weeds, Seeds, and Volunteer Tomato Plants. J. B. Jones, Assistant professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, IFAS, 5007 60th Street East, Bradenton 34203; K. L. Pohronezny(2), R. E. Stall(3), and J. P. Jones(4). (2)Associate professor, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 18905 S. W. 280 Street, Homestead 33031; (3)Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611; (4)Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, IFAS, 5007 60th Street East, Bradenton 34203. Phytopathology 76:430-434. Accepted for publication 13 October 1985. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-76-430.

Studies were undertaken to determine the ability of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria to survive in Florida on crop residue, on or in plants of various weed species, in soil, on volunteer tomato plants and on tomato and pepper seed. In the crop residue studies, X. c. pv. vesicatoria was recovered from infected crop residue 6 mo after placing the residue in the field in December 1981 and 1982. When diseased crop tissue from spring crops (January-May) in Bradenton was placed in the field in May 1982 and June 1983, X. c. pv. vesicatoria was recovered after 3 mo and 6 wk, respectively. In summer survival tests done in Homestead (where diseased tissue was placed in the field 8 June 1982 and 7 June 1983) X. c. pv. vesicatoria was detected after 3 and 6 wk, respectively. In studies in which washings from plants of weed species were infiltrated into tomato plants, X. c. pv. vesicatoria was recovered from six weed species which included two solanaceous weeds, Solanum americanum and Physalis pubescens. However, only 11 of the 202 weed samples contained X. c. pv. vesicatoria. Volunteer tomato plants were found throughout the spring of 1982 following a fall (August-December) 1981 tomato crop. Volunteer plants had a high incidence of bacterial spot as late as July 1982. The use of sorghum as a cover crop enhanced development of volunteers, whereas periodic disking eliminated them. X. c. pv. vesicatoria was detected in one of 53 commercial pepper seedlots and in none of 293 commercial tomato seedlots. Tomato volunteers and crop residue are likely sources of primary inoculum, whereas tomato seeds and weeds appear to be questionable sources.