Pectolytic activity of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense on different root vegetables

Abstract

Bacteria from Enterobacteriaceae family (SRE) are significant problem in plant production, not only during vegetation, in the field, but also during storage and marketing of agricultural commodities. Species P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliense (Pcb) is a newly identified member of Enterobacteriaceae family. It causes soft rot of different plant species, including root vegetables. Pcb is described as a new subspecies of P. carotovorum due to differences in phenotypic and genotypic characteristic, more pronounced virulence and aggressiveness. Patohogenicity of this bacterium is based on the production of several enzymes: pectatliase, polygalacturonase, cellulase and proeteases. The aim of this study was to determine whether and at which rate Pcb isolates originating from potato plants exhibit pectolytic activity on root of different root vegetable species - carrot, radish, celery, kohlrabi and beetroot. The obtained data confirmed wide host range of the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense, but pointed to significant differences in pectolytic activity on different species of root vegetables (carrot, radish, celery, kohlrabi), while on beetroot tested Pcb isolates did not exhibit pectolytic activity. Moreover, on same species of root vegetables different levels of pectolytic activity of tested Pcb isolates were recorded.

Genetic Diversity of Pectobacterium spp. on Potato in Serbia

“…This is supported by the fact that SPR was found on the cultivar Lady Claire at eight out of ten localities where potato plants were sampled. Similar results were recorded in the study conducted by Markovic et al, [41]. Moreover, a high incidence of SRP disease was recorded on the same cultivar in Norway in the study conducted by Rossman et al, [61].…”

“…The Republic of Serbia has areas suitable for seed and ware potato production, both in the main agricultural production areas in the Province of Vojvodina and in the mountainous region [65,66]. However, numerous Pectobacterium species are frequently and increasingly isolated from diseased potato originating from field and storage conditions [40][41][42][43][44]. In the highlight of recent climate changes, stressful environmental conditions that favour pathogen development-drought, followed with more frequent and heavy rainfall or floods, may be the cause of increased number of disease outbreaks and disease severity.…”

“…This species has been appearing regularly since 2012 in potato production in Israel, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Switzerland [35][36][37][38][39] threatening the sustainability of potato production and reaching 20-70% of the entire population of species of this genus [32,39]. This species has also been the most commonly detected Pectobacterium species on potato in the past few years in Serbia [40][41][42]. The reports on the most recently described species P. versatile [43] and P. punjabense [44] also appeared in the Republic of Serbia during 2021.…”