Diversity of<i>Xanthomonas</i>Spp. Causal Agents of Bacterial Spot on Pepper and Tomato Plants in Bulgaria

Abstract

Seventy-one Xanthomonas strains isolated from infected pepper and tomato plants with bacterial spot from Bulgaria and Macedonia were examined in this study. The pathotypes and races of the strains were determined. The pepper-tomato pathotype predominated among Bulgarian strains, whereas the Macedonian strains belonged to the pepper pathotype. On the basis of their phenotypic characteristics the causal agents of bacterial spot on tomato and pepper possessed properties of at least three species (X. euvesicatoria, X. vesicatoria/X. perforans and X. gardneri). The identification of thirty strains to species Xanthomonas euvesicatoria was confirmed using species specific primers in PCR amplification.