Axenic culture of the bacteria associated with phony disease of peach and plum leaf scald

Abstract

Bacteria associated with phony disease of peach (PDP) and plum leaf scald (PLS) were consistently isolated from diseased trees but not from healthy trees. Colonies of the bacteria grew slowly on PW agar, reaching 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm in diameter in 2 to 3 weeks. The bacteria did not grow on nutrient agar or other general-purpose media. Cells of the bacteria were 0.3 μm to 0.4 μm in width and 2.6 μm to 20.0 μm in length. The topography of the cell walls revealed numerous ridges and furrows. Cells extracted from diseased plants and those from culture gave a strong fluorescence when stained with immunoglobulin G to cells and purified membranes of the bacteria extracted from peach and plum in earlier studies. Immunoglobulin G to cells of the Pierce's disease bacterium from culture also reacted with the bacteria. No discernible differences were observed between strains associated with PDP and PLS in the United States and PLS in Brazil.