Clonality and Diversity in the Soft Rot Phytopathogen.

Bacterial diversity analyses often suffer from a bias due to sampling only from a limited number of hosts or narrow geographic locations. This was the case for the phytopathogenic species , whose members were mainly isolated from a few hosts-potato and ornamentals-and from the same geographical area-Europe and Israel, which are connected by seed trade. Most members were clonal with the notable exception of the potato isolate RNS05.

Insight into biodiversity of the recently rearranged genus .

The genus includes plant pathogenic bacteria attacking a wide range of crops and ornamentals as well as a few environmental isolates from water. Defined on the basis of six species in 2005, this genus now includes 12 recognized species. Despite the description of several new species in recent years, the diversity of the genus is not yet fully explored.

The Broad Host Range Plant Pathogen Shows a High Genetic Diversity.

The wide host range phytopathogen , first described in ornamentals in the 1950s, rapidly became a threat for potato production in Europe and, more recently, worldwide. Previous genomic analyses, mainly of strains isolated from potato, revealed little sequence diversity. To further analyse genomic diversity, we used a larger genome panel of 41 isolates encompassing more strains isolated from potato over a wide time scale and more strains isolated from other hosts.

Diversity within the complex, identification of and members, proposal of the novel species sp. nov.

The genus comprises plant pathogens that cause diseases in a large range of economically important crops and ornamentals. Strains previously assigned to the species are major pathogens attacking vital crops such as maize and rice. They are also frequently isolated from surface water.

Early Emergence of Revealed by Analysis of Diversity of Potato Blackleg and Soft Rot Causing Pathogens in Switzerland.

Blackleg and soft rot in potato caused by and enterobacteral genera are among the most destructive bacterial diseases in this crop worldwide. In Europe, over the last century, spp. were the predominant causal agents of these diseases.