Multilocus sequence and phenotypic analysis of Pectobacterium and Dickeya type strains for identification of soft rot Pectobacteriaceae from symptomatic potato stems and tubers in Pennsylvania

Syst Appl Microbiol. 2023 Nov 26;47(1):126476. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2023.126476. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTOutbreaks of potato blackleg and soft rot caused by Pectobacterium species and more recently Dickeya species across the U.S. mid-Atlantic region have caused yield loss due to poor emergence as well as losses from stem and tuber rot. To develop management strategies for soft rot diseases, we must first identify which members of the soft rot Pectobacteriaceae are present in regional potato plantings. However, the rapidly expanding number of soft rot Pectobacteriaceae species and the lack of readily available comparative data for type strains of Pectobacterium and Dickeya hinder quick identification. This manuscript provides a comparative analysis of soft rot Pectobacteriaceae and a comprehensive comparison of type strains from this group using rep-PCR, MLSA and 16S sequence analysis, as well as phenotypic and physiological analyses using Biolog GEN III plates. These data were used to identify isolates cultured from symptomatic potato stems collected between 2016 and 2018. The isolates were characterized for phenotypic traits and by sequence analysis to identify the bacteria from potatoes with blackleg and soft rot symptoms in Pennsylvania potato fields. In this survey, P. actinidiae, P. brasiliense, P. polonicum, P. polaris, P. punjabense, P. parmentieri, and P. versatile were identified from Pennsylvania for the first time. Importantly, the presence of P. actinidiae i...

Source: Systematic and Applied Microbiology - December 19, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Amanda M Mainello-Land Shaheen Bibi Beth Gugino Carolee T Bull Source Type: research