First Report of Xylella fastidiosa Infecting Citrus in Costa Rica

Abstract

Citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is an important disease mainly of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) cultivars. It was first described in Brazil in the state of Sā Paulo in 1987 (4). The disease has spread to all Brazilian states that grow citrus and is affecting more than one-third of the orange trees grown in Brazil. CVC is caused by Xylella fastidiousa, a xylem-limited, gram-negative bacterium. During the last 4 years, symptoms including leaf interveinal chlorosis, stunting, canopy dieback, and hard and undersized fruits, similar to those caused by CVC (3), appeared in sweet orange trees used as shade plants for coffee plantations and as fence posts in Costa Rica. Necrotic lesions on the abaxial side of the leaves as reported in Brazil were rarely observed. Leaf petiole samples from 25 symptomatic sweet orange trees reacted positively with a X fastidiosa-specific antiserum (AGDIA Inc., Elkart, IN) in a double-sandwich antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). A fastidious, gram-negative bacterium identified as X. fastidiosa using DAS-ELISA was isolated on perwinkle wilt (PW) medium plates (1) from citrus stems showing CVC symptoms, but not from asymptomatic trees. The isolated colonies were circular and opalescent with diameters of 2 to 3 mm and were clearly visible within 6 to 7 days after streaking. Petiole sections from symptomatic plants observed with scanning electron microscopy showed rod-shaped bacteria with rippled cell walls tightly packed in xylem vessels, as described for X. fastidiosa previously (2), and with transmission electron microscopy, the bacteria were morphologically similar to those reported previously for CVC (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. fastidiosa associated with citrus in Costa Rica. References: (1) M. J. Davis et al. Curr. Microbiol. 6:309, 1981. (2) J. S. Hartung et al. Phytopathology 84:591, 1994. (3) R. F. Lee et al. Summa Phytopathol. 19:123, 1993. (4) V. Rossetti et al. 1990, C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 310:345–349.

Control of Virus Diseases of Citrus

“…CVC has spread to countries surrounding Brazil and most recently was reported in Costa Rica (Aguilar et al, 2005). The disease was named because of the chlorotic appearance of the tree, resembling a zinc deficiency, once the tree becomes infected.…”

Bacterial diseases of grapevine

“…Pierce's disease of grapevine is common in the southern part of USA, in Central America and in South America including some islands in the Caribbean region (Aguilar et al 2008, McGaha et al 2007, Stover et al 2008. A few reports describe Pierce's disease in Europe (Berisha et al 1998, Boubals 1989, although it has, so far, not become epidemic probably due to the lack of appropriate vectors.…”

Need for protective measures to combat potential outbreaks ofHomalodisca coagulataand Pierce's Disease in European viticulture

“…The bacterium X. fastidiosa has occasionally been isolated outside North and South America, e.g., from pears in Taiwan (Leu & Su, 1993); diseased V. vinifera grown in Kosovo (Berisha et al, 1998) and citrus in Costa Rica (Aguilar & Villalobos, 2005). The fact that both H. coagulata and X. fastidiosa are associated with a large number of commercial horticultural and ornamental plants means that there is a very high risk for global spread in conjunction with intercontinental trade in plant cuttings, cut flowers and fruit.…”