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Tomato as a New Host of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora in Argentina

In 1995, fruiting tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. hybrid Tommy) from different commercial greenhouses near La Plata and near Chacabuco (Province of Buenos Aires) had symptoms similar those caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (1,4). Stems of the infected plants were rotted and produced adventitious roots. The cortex on the basal part of the stems turned black and sloughed off easily. The pith disintegrated and stems appeared hollow. Disease incidence of 2% was common, and nearly 10% of the plants in wetter areas of greenhouses were affected. Bacteria consistently isolated from diseased stems formed white-to-cream-colored colonies on yeast dextrose calcium carbonate agar (YDC). Bacteria from purified colonies were gram negative, oxidase negative, arginine dyhidrolase negative, catalase positive, methyl red positive, and facultatively anaerobic. Tests on four strains showed all fermented glucose, reduced nitrates to nitrites, and grew at a maximum temperature of 37 to 40°C. Strains did not hydrolyse starch nor utilize Tween 80. All strains were resistant to erythromycin in an antibiotic disk (15 μg) assay. Acid was produced from D(+)-glucose, D -mannitol, sucrose, D(+)-cellobiose, L(+)-rhamnose, L(+)-arabinose, D(+)-galactose, and D(+)-trehalose, but not from D-arabinose, D-sorbitol, and maltose. Bacteria utilized maleate and citrate but not propionate, benzoate, or malonate. The strains caused soft rot of pepper fruits and carrot slices within 24 h at 25°C. Pathogenicity was confirmed by needle stab inoculation at the primary leaf node on five plants each of 6-week-old greenhouse-grown tomato hybrids Presto and Parador. Inoculum was from 24-h-old cultures on YDC. Control plants were stab inoculated with needles dampened in sterile water. All plants were covered with polyethylene bags for 48 h at 25°C. Within 24 h after inoculation, watersoak and rot were detected; and during the next 48 h, plants wilted. Controls remained healthy. The bacterium was readily isolated from inoculated plants. Tests showed physiological characteristics identical to those of the bacteria used as inoculum. The pathogen was identified as Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora based on morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics and on pathogenicity. Reactions were identical to those of the type strain ATCC 15713 that had been included in all tests for comparison. Further identity was shown by polymerase chain reaction utilizing ERIC primers to generate DNA profiles (3). Profiles of the pathogen or the type strain were very similar to those from bacteria recovered from inoculated plants. This is the first known occurrence of a disease caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora on greenhouse-grown tomato plants in Argentina, although it has been reported as causing soft rot of vegetables after harvest (2).

References: (1) B. N. Dhanvantari and V. A. Dirks. Phytopathology 77:1457, 1987. (2) L. Halperin and L. S. Spaini. Rev. Arg. Agron. 6:261, 1939. (3) F. J. Louws et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60:2286, 1994. (4) D. E. Speights et al. Phytopathology 57: 902, 1967.