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Ecology and Epidemiology

Survival of Erwinia chrysanthemi in Association With Philodendron selloum, Other Greenhouse Ornamentals, and in Potting Media. R. A. Haygood, Former graduate research assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27650, Present address of senior author: Extension Plant Pathology Department, P. O. Box 5426, Mississippi State 39762; D. L. Strider(2), and E. Echandi(3). (2)(3)Professors, respectively, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27650. Phytopathology 72:853-859. Accepted for publication 4 November 1981. Copyright 1982 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-853.

A rifampin-resistant strain (R₄) was used to study the survival of Erwinia chrysanthemi (Ec). R₄ was similar to the rifampin-sensitive strain in numerous bacteriological tests and was as virulent as the wild type on Philodendron selloum (Ps) and 22 other greenhouse ornamentals. An enrichment technique was used that enabled isolation of the bacterium from detached artificially infected leaves of Ps 11–13 mo after they had been placed either upon a greenhouse bench, upon and buried in potting media, or in a laboratory. The pathogen was detected from potting media with and without the presence of living Ps roots 12 mo after infestation. R₄ survived for 5–6 mo in association with leaves of 23 host and nonhost greenhouse ornamentals and was recovered from symptomless leaves of Ps 12 mo after inoculation. R₄ was recovered after 13 mo from artificially infested seed stored at 5 C. Ec was detected from artificially and naturally infested seed of Ps by germinating seed under conditions of high relative humidity and high temperature.