Host Specificity Within Pseudomonas Syringae Species Characterized by Electrolyte Leakage from Plant Tissues

Abstract

Pseudomonas syringae is an ubiquitous plant pathogenic bacterium which has been found to occur on many plants. More than forty pathovars have been described within this species, according to their host plants. Some pathovars have a narrow host range (e.g. P. s. pv. phaseolicola) while others have a large one (e. g. P. s. pv. syringae). Furthermore, symptoms caused by these bacteria are frequently necrotic spot or blast on leaf. Therefore, the type of interaction (compatible : disease, or incompatible : hypersensitive reaction) is often difficult to assess after artificial leaf inoculation. As a typical necrogenic bacterium P. syringae induces electrolytes leakage from tissues of host and non-host plant.