Pseudomonas cichorii Introduction Bacterial leaf blight caused by Pseudomonas cichorii is a significant disease affecting many crops and ornamental plants. Here’s an overview of this pathogen and its impact. P. cichorii has a broad host range and has been reported in numerous countries: Ornamental Plants: Chrysanthemum, Gerbera, Monstera adansonii, Calceolaria hybrida (pocketbook plant), aglaonema (Aglaonema […]
Bremia lactucae Introduction Bremia lactucae causes lettuce downy mildew for both indoor and outdoor lettuce. It is a significant pathogen in cooler environments like late-fall seasons and heated winter greenhouses. This plant pathogen is an oomycete, and symptoms of the disease are similar to late blight. However, the disease may appear as white fungal growth […]
Erwinia tracheiphila Introduction Erwinia tracheiphila is a bacterial pathogen that causes bacterial wilt, a devastating disease affecting cucurbits such as cucumbers, muskmelons, and, to a lesser extent, squash and pumpkins. This disease does not affect watermelons. The economic impact of Erwinia tracheiphila is significant, particularly in the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, where it threatens […]
E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella We provide great overviews of many agricultural microorganisms. Subscribe to stay updated! E.coli Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a diverse group of bacteria commonly found in the environment, food, and intestines of humans and animals. While many strains of E. coli are harmless, some can cause severe illness, posing a […]
Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians Introduction Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians is a bacterial pathogen responsible for bacterial leaf spot in lettuce and other leafy vegetables; this pathogen poses a significant challenge to growers worldwide [1]. Bacterial leaf spot can lead to substantial crop yield losses and severe economic consequences. Historically, outbreaks can cause up to 100% […]
Xanthomonas euvesicatoria What is Xanthomonas euvesicatoria? Xanthomonas euvesicatoria is a bacterium that causes bacterial spot disease in plants of tomatoes and peppers [1,2]. It is aerobic and has a long tail (flagellum), allowing it to move in water. Please refer to Figure 1 where the flagellum can be seen on the bottom right side of […]
Pseudomonas syringae What is Pseudomonas syringae? The bacteria Pseudomonas syringae is a common plant pathogen mostly found in stems and leaves [1]. It infects a wide range of plants—including fruit trees, greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals, and field crops. Annually, the bacteria cause billions of dollars of damage worldwide from lost fruits, damaged trees, unmarketable ornamentals, and […]
Rhizoctonia solani What is Rhizoctonia solani? The fungus Rhizoctonia solani is a soilborne pathogen that spreads in wet and warm conditions. It infects many economically vital plants—including greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals, and field crops [1, 2]. Crops affected by this pathogen include peppers, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, rice, soybeans, wheat, lilies and turf grass. In fact, it […]