PHENOTYPIC AND GENOTYPIC RELATEDNESS AMONG PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE PV. SYRINGAE STRAINS ISOLATED FROM SUGARCANE, STONE FRUITS AND WHEAT

Document Type : Research Article

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Abstract

The phenotypic characteristics, electrophoretic pattern of cell proteins and rep- PCR generated DNA fingerprints of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) strains causing sugarcane red streak disease were compared with those inciting canker on stone fruit trees, blight of wheat and leaf spot in sleepy mallow. The Pss strains from sugarcane were very similar in phenotypic characteristics but varied in the rate or level of formation of levan, syringomycin and in hydrolysis of Tween 80. The electrophoretic pattern of cell proteins of the strains causing red streak were similar although not identical to each other but differed markedly from those of the other groups. The protein patterns of the strains from stone fruits and wheat were indistinguishable. The groups of strains were best differentiated by their rep-PCR fingerprintins. The ERIC- and BOX-PCR fingerprints of the strains from sugarcane were distinct from those of the other groups. The results indicate that the Pss strains isolated from sugarcane with red streak symptom constitute a group genotypically distinct from those inciting canker on stone fruit trees, blight of wheat and leaf spot on sleepy mallow plants.

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