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Bacterial Blight of Soybeans: Seedling Infection During and After Emergence. Gilbert C. Daft, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691; Curt Leben, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691. Phytopathology 62:1167-1170. Accepted for publication 2 March 1972. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-62-1167.

When soybean seeds were planted in soil containing abrasive particles and dried leaves infected with Pseudomonas glycinea, the number and size of lesions on cotyledons of emerged seedlings were increased. Most disease was on the proximal end of the cotyledon, which is advanced through the soil as the hypocotyl elongates. Disease was most severe in those areas where the growing hypocotyl usually contacted the cotyledon. Unifoliolate leaves were rarely diseased. No disease occurred on trifoliolate leaves. Upward transfer of inoculum on emerged seedlings was indicated when seedlings that had diseased cotyledons, unifoliolate, or first trifoliolate leaves were subjected to simulated wind-rain storms and new lesions developed on leaves above the organ that was diseased prior to application of the "storm" treatment.