Leersia hexandra, an Alternative Host for Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae in Texas. C. F. Gonzalez, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843. G.-W. Xu, H.-L. Li, and J. W. Cosper. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, and County Agent, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Wharton 77488. Plant Dis. 75:159-162. Accepted for publication 20 July 1990. Copyright 1991 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-75-0159.

We surveyed weeds common in canals adjacent to rice (Oryza sativa) fields with bacterial leaf blight and found that the perennial weed Leersia hexandra (clubhead cutgrass) was an alternative host for Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae. Strains of X. c. oryzae isolated from symptomless L. hexandra caused bacterial leaf blight symptoms in rice. In artificially inoculated L. hexandra, the pathogen multiplied without evidence of disease.