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A new genomovar of Pseudomonas cichorii, a causal agent of tomato pith necrosis

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Abstract

Recent taxonomic advances, based on biochemical and genotypic processes demonstrate that the plant pathogenic species Pseudomonas cichorii consists of a cluster of closely related genomic groups. Prior to this study, three morphotype groups had been described (C1-C3), all sharing various phenotypic and biochemical characters but partially differing in their DNA content. All entities of the complex could cause disease among a variety of hosts, including lettuce, celery, chrysanthemum and others. In this study, we present the biochemical and molecular characterization of P. cichorii isolates as the causal agent of pith necrosis of tomato plants. A detailed characterization of the genetic variability among strains belonging to P. cichorii was achieved using BOX-PCR and Multi Locus Sequence Analysis utilizing three housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoD, rpoB). In addition, a number of biochemical and physiological tests were also used for the identification of the tomato P. cichorii isolates. To our knowledge, this is the first complete biochemical, molecular and phylogenetic study of P. cichorii strains isolated from tomato plants affected by pith necrosis disease. Our findings demonstrate the emergence of a new genomovar of P. cichorii, yet another indication for the genetic heterogeneity of the species.

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Acknowledgments

This research was implemented through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” and is co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund) and Greek national funds (awarded to F.V and D.G) and partially by the Education and Research Committee, Technological Educational Institute of Crete (Research Actions of Phytopathology lab, D.G).

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  1. Panagiotis F. Sarris

    Present address: The Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Crop Science, School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939, Heraklion, 71004, Greece

    Emmanouil A. Trantas, Panagiotis F. Sarris, Evaggelia E. Mpalantinaki, Marianna G. Pentari, Filippos N. Ververidis & Dimitrios E. Goumas

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  1. Emmanouil A. Trantas
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Correspondence to Emmanouil A. Trantas.

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Emmanouil A. Trantas and Panagiotis F. Sarris contributed equally in this article

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Trantas, E.A., Sarris, P.F., Mpalantinaki, E.E. et al. A new genomovar of Pseudomonas cichorii, a causal agent of tomato pith necrosis. Eur J Plant Pathol 137, 477–493 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-013-0258-8

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