Disease Note

Xanthomonas Blight of Anthurium andraeanum in California. D. A. Cooksey, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92521. Plant Disease 69:727, 1985. Accepted for publication 13 May 1985. Copyright 1985 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-69-727e.

A disease of Anthurium andraeanum Linden, reported previously in Hawaii, with symptoms ranging from water-soaked leaf spots with chlorotic halos to severely blighted leaves and spathes was observed at a southern California nursery.  The disease was present on several cultivars, including Andrae's flamingo flower.  A yellow, gram-negative bacterium with a single polar flagellum was isolated.  The bacterium was positive for catalase; protein digestion; hydrolysis of starch, gelatin, and esculin; lypolysis of Tween 80; and acid from glucose, mannose, and arabinose.  Findings were negative for oxidase, urease. growth at 36 C, indole production, and nitrate reduction.  Leaf spot and blight symptoms were reproduced in Andrae's flamingo flower in 7–14 days by injection or spray inoculations.  The bacterium also produced symptoms on Dieffenbachia maculata (Lodd.) G. Don characteristic of Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae (McCulloch & Pirone) Dye.  The bacterium was identified as X. campestris pv. dieffenbachiae.

Reference: Hayward, A. C. Plant Dis. Rep. 56:904. 1972.