Archivio Journal of Plant Pathology

Abstract:

A severe bacterial disease was observed in lettuce plants during surveys carried out in the province of Bari (Apulia, Italy). Symptoms were chlorosis and wilting of older leaves, water-soaked and dark green soft rot of the pith. Several bacterial isolates were obtained from the affected plants by isolations on semi-selective crystal violet pectate agar medium. Biochemical, nutritional, and pathogenicity tests identified them as Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. The nutritional profile obtained using the Biolog system and the 434 bp product amplifìed by PCR using primers designed on P. carotovorum pectate lyase-encoding gene sequence further confirmed the identity of the isolates. Some epidemiological aspects of the pathogen and the main measures to prevent and control the disease are reported.