Survival of Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis in infected tomato stems under natural field conditions in California, Ohio and Morocco

Abstract

The survival and half-life of Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis ( C. michiganensis ), the causal agent of bacterial canker of tomato, were determined in infected plant debris under natural field conditions in California, Ohio and Morocco using a semiselective agar medium. The organism survived significantly longer in tomato stems left on the soil surface than in stems buried in the soil at all locations studied. The pathogen was recovered in high amounts from tomato stems left on the soil surface for 314 days in Ohio and California, USA, and for 194 and 132 days in Melk Zhar and Aït Melloul, Morocco, respectively; it was recovered from stems buried in the soil for up to 314 days in Ohio, up to 240 days in California, and up to 60 days in Aït Melloul and Melk Zhar. The half-life of the pathogen in stems left on the soil surface ranged from 23·2 to 24·8 days in the USA, and from 7·8 to 12·3 days in Morocco, whereas the half-life in buried stems ranged from 14·0 to 16·7 days in the USA and from 3·7 to 9·5 days in Morocco. Based on the half-life data, the predicted survival times of C. michiganensis in stems on the soil surface in Ohio, California, Melk Zhar and Aït Melloul would be up to 822, 770, 424 and 261 days, respectively, while the predicted survival times in stems buried in the soil would be 541, 497, 305 and 128 days, respectively. These results show that the survival and half-life of C. michiganensis in plant debris are relatively long and are influenced by both tissue exposure and geographic location.

Characterization of a Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis population in Israel

“…However, these control measures might not be sufficient to eradicate the pathogen. Although Cmm does not survive well in the soil, it can survive on plant debris for several years (Fatmi and Schaad 2002;Gleason et al 1993). The possibility that the pathogen can reside on alternative hosts or on volunteer wild plants cannot be excluded (Chang et al 1992;Tsiantos 1987), but this might not explain the severe outbreaks of the disease that occurred during recent years.…”

Screening for fluorescent pseudomonades, isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato, for antagonistic activity toward Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis

“…michiganensis from the infested plants was made on C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis selective agar medium (Fatmi and Schaad 2002).…”

“…michiganensis (Davis et al 1984) has been reported in the most tomato growing areas in the world (Gleason et al 1993;Menzies and Jarvis 1994). It's incidence in Morocco has been reported since 1942 (Berger 1942) where is a very important factor of crop yield loss in the region of Souss-Massa Draa valley, Agadir, Morocco (Fatmi and Schaad 2002). A few commercially grown cultivars have significant tolerance or resistance to C. michiganensis subsp.…”

Survival of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in tomato debris under greenhouse conditions

“…Not only geographic location, but also host debris placement within the soil profile affected the survival time. In different locations, this period was between 25 and 75% shorter in buried residues than in those left on the soil surface (Gleason et al ., ; Fatmi & Schaad, ). In Illinois the concentration of the pathogen was also an order of magnitude smaller in buried tissues than in those left on the soil surface (Chang & Pataky, ).…”