Cultural, morphological and biochemical studies of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae: The causative agent of oily spot in pomegranate

Abstract

Bacterial blight disease of pomegranate caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae is one of the most destructive disease of pomegranate (Punica granatum). Study was undertaken to conduct collection of samples, isolation, identification, pathogenicity, study of different characters of pathogen, morphological variability, cultural variability and biochemical variability of selected isolates and in vitro evaluation. The isolations were made from the symptomatic samples collected from different districts of Maharashtra (India). The studies takes for all eight isolates on gram staining was showed gram negative reaction. The studies on biochemical characteristics of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae showed their positive reactions for potassium hydroxide (KOH) solubility test, starch hydrolysis test, Gelatin liquification, H2S Production, catalase test, oxidase test, Tolerance to 1% NaCl whereas, negative response for indole production, urease test, Arginine test Methyl red test.