Tropical Plant Pathology (2017) 42, 458-467

Maurício Rossato, Thais R. Santiago, Eduardo S.G. Mizubuti and Carlos A. Lopes (2017)
Characterization and pathogenicity to geranium of Brazilian strains of Ralstonia spp.
Tropical Plant Pathology 42 (6), 458-467
Abstract: Ralstonia solanacearum (race 3 biovar 2, phylotype IIB, brown-rot ecotype) became an agent of bioterrorism in the USA after the assessment that its introduction in association with geranium plants would affect other crops, especially potatoes. Because race3 biovar 2 is ubiquitous in Brazil and geranium cuttings are exported to many countries, two geranium species were challenged with 32 Brazilian isolates of R. solanacearum and four of R. pseudosolanacearum in order to assess the risk associated with the long-distance spread of the pathogen. Nineteen isolates of nine sequevars of Ralstonia spp. induced wilt in geranium plants, including some belonging to R. pseudosolanacearum (phylotype I), which apparently has not previously been reported infecting this host. No correlations were observed between either race, biovar, phylotype, or sequevar with ability to cause wilt in geranium plants, corroborating the enormous genetic diversity of this species and its isolate-specific virulence. Pelargonium peltatum was more resistant than P. hortorum, indicating that it can be an alternative to reduce crop losses caused by bacterial wilt, even though it also can be a carrier of these pathogens in latent infections.
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Database assignments for author(s): Eduardo S.G. Mizubuti, Carlos A. Lopes

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ralstonia solanacearum	Pelargonium (crop)
	Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum	Pelargonium (crop)