Out of forty rhizosphere soils collected from semi arid tropical regions of Andhra Pradesh, India, 30 gave positive enrichments for heliobacteria. These bacteria were recognized by the presence of bacteriochlorophyll-g together with endospores in the initial enrichments. Using group specific primers of 16S rRNA gene, ten monoheliobacterial cultures were sequenced. They were finally grouped into 3 clusters based on the 16S rRNA gene similarity. Based on a few phenotypic characters, in addition to genetic characterization, we identified them as potential novel species and the 16S rRNA gene sequences were deposited with EMBL.

Karanj or Indian beech (Pongamia pinnata) is a multipurpose tree grown in many parts of Karnataka. In several nurseries, a high proportion of seedlings of this tree exhibited chlorotic spots on the leaves. Acervuli of Colletotrichum dematium (Pers.) Grove were found on the adaxial surfaces at the region of chlorosis. The fungus was isolated and used to complete Koch's postulates. This is the first confirmed report of anthracnose caused by C. dematium on P. pinnata in India. Accepted for publication 12 June 2008. Published 2 September 2008.