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Disease Note. Occurrence of Tomato Pith Necrosis Caused by Pseudomonas corrugata in Massachusetts. Robert L. Wick, University of Massachusetts, Suburban Experiment Station, Waltham, MA 02154-8096. Karen K. Rane, University of Massachusetts, Suburban Experiment Station, Waltham, MA 02154-8096. Plant Dis. 74:80. Accepted for publication 17 August 1989. Copyright 1990 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-74-0080A. During 1988, external stem lesions, adventitious roots, and necrotic
pith that was hollowed or chambered were observed several times
among field and greenhouse tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum MilL)
in Massachusetts. Bacterial strains isolated from diseased plants at
two sites were characterized. Pseudomonas corrugata Scarlett et al
(ATCC 29736) was used as a positive control for all tests. The strains
from tomato were nonfluorescent, aerobic, gram-negative rods that
were positive for oxidase, nitrate reductase, arginine dihydrolase, and
utilization of malonate, alanine, trehalose, arginine, mannitol, and
m-inositol. They were negative for levan, pectinase, tobacco hypersensitivity,
and utilization of cellobiose and sorbitol. Pathogenicity
was demonstrated by needle-inoculation to the pith of cvs. Jet Star
and Caruso. Nine weeks after inoculation, the bacterium was recovered
from the margins of necrotic pith from both cultivars. This is the
first report of tomato pith necrosis in the New England region. It
was first reported in the United States in California and Florida in
1983 (1,2). |