Characteristic of Pseudomonas syringae pv. atrofaciens Isolated from Weeds of Wheat Field

Abstract

The aim of this study was the identification of the causative agent of the basal glume rot of wheat Pseudomonas syringae pv. atrofaciens from the affected weeds in wheat crops, and determination of its virulent properties. Isolation of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens from weeds of wheat crops was carried out by classical microbiological methods. To identify isolated bacteria, their morphological, cultural, biochemical, and serological properties as well as fatty acids and Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) profiles with the OPA-13 primer were studied. Pathogenic properties were investigated by artificial inoculation of wheat plants and weed plants, from which bacteria were isolated. For the first time, bacteria that are virulent both for weeds and wheat were isolated from weeds growing in wheat crops. It was shown that the fatty acids profiles of the bacteria isolated from the weeds contained typical for P. syringae pv. atrofaciens fatty acids, in particular, hydroxy acids: 3-hydroxydecanoic, 2-hydroxydodecanoic, and 3-hydroxydodecanoic. RAPD-PCR profiles of the newly isolated strains were identical to those of the collection strains P. syringae pv. atrofaciens UCM B-1011 and P. syringae pv. atrofaciens UCM B-1014 and contained a dominant fragment of 700 bp. The isolated strains, according to their phenotypic and genotypic properties, were identified as P. syringae pv. atrofaciens. It was established that the causative agent of basal glume rot of wheat P. syringae pv. atrofaciens is polyphagous and capable of infecting a wide range of plants. The main control measure for cereals diseases caused by P. syringae pv. Atrofaciens—crop rotations with nonhost species, should be revised, and alternative control methods must be proposed.

The presence of pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae in cereals in Lithuania

“…Researchers around the world (Sundin et al, 2016;Tripathi, 2017;Xin et al, 2018) have noticed an increasing risk of phytopathogenic bacteria for plant growth including cereals, especially wheat, one of the most valuable and important essential grain crops that ranks first in the world's sown area (Valencia-Botín, Cisneros-López, 2012;Suszanowicz et al, 2019;Butsenko et al, 2021). Considering that bacterial diseases have not been studied in cereal crops of Lithuania and other Baltic countries before and that the atypical for fungal diseases leaf spots and glume discolorations are found rather frequently on cereals in the fields, this study was aimed to identify the occurrence of P. syringae in syptomatic leaves and grain of wheat, barley and triticale.…”

“…P. syringae pv. atrofaciens mainly infects the monocotyledonous plants and is considered as one of the primary bacterial pathogens of cereals in Europe (Pasichnyk, Butsenko, 2018); however, it can also cause leaf spots of dicotyledonous weeds such as Sonchus arvensis and Papaver argemone (Butsenko et al, 2021).…”

“…In general, compared to the other plant pathogenic bacteria, P. syringae pathovars are noted as the most common and well-studied ones (Tripathi, 2017;Xin et al, 2018). However, those causing leaf blight and basal glume blotch of wheat and other cereal pathogens are limited, and only scarce information is available, especially on yield losses and disease epidemiology (Valencia-Botín, Cisneros-López, 2012;Butsenko et al, 2021). P. syringae pv.…”

“…P. syringae pv. atrofaciens has been more extensively studied since the eighties of the 20 th century in Europe and was noted as important pathogen of wheat basal glume blotch in Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, New Zealand and Iran (Matveeva et al, 2008;Kazempour et al, 2010;Butsenko et al, 2021). In Germany, this pathogen has been regularly isolated since 1986, and epiphytic strains of P. syringae pv.…”

“…atrofaciens were frequently detected on seeds and plants of wheat and barley (Kietzel, Rudopph, 1997). Epiphytic populations are the primary inoculum for plant infection and can cause significant plant damage in favourable weather conditions (Xin et al, 2018;Butsenko et al, 2021). At such conditions, yield losses may reach up to 50% (Valencia-Botín, Cisneros-López, 2012).…”