Biology and Epidemiology of Bacterial Wilt Caused by Pseudomonas Solanacearum

Bacterial wilt caused by Pseudomonas solanacearum is widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and some warm temperate regions of the world, and is a major constraint on production of many crop plants. Major sections of this review are on: phylogeny (particularly using molecular biology), properties, relationships and geographical distribution; host range; modes of dispersal and sources of inoculum (including root-to-root transmission, movement of soil and dissemination by farm implements, and insect transmission); some environmental interactions (temperature - the most important factor affecting the host-pathogen interaction as well as survival in soils, light intensity, soil moisture (preferably high), soil type, and synergism with nematodes); and control strategies, especially development of host-plant resistance, appropriate cropping systems, soil amendment, disease avoidance, integrated control, and biological control using antagonistic rhizobacteria and avirulent mutants. -P.J.Jarvis