Colonization of Cotton Buds by Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum. J. A. Wrather, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Missouri, Delta Center, Portageville 63873. W. P. Sappenfield, Professor, Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri, Delta Center, Portageville 63873, and C. H. Baldwin, Research Scientist, SDS Biotech Corporation, Box 348, Painesville, OH 44077. Plant Dis. 70:551-552. Accepted for publication 19 November 1985. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-70-551.

Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum (X. c. malvacearum) was found within the buds of field-grown cotton in two consecutive years. In greenhouse studies, X. c. malvacearum race 12 survived within the terminal buds of susceptible Auburn M cotton for at least 10 days but did not survive within the buds of resistant cotton line 101-102B. Auburn M seed inoculated or naturally infested with X. c. malvacearum produced seedlings with the pathovar within the terminal buds. Simulated rain spread X. c. malvacearum from these buds to the plant stem.