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Bacterial canker of cherry trees, Prunus avium, in South Africa

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Abstract

In the 1980’s the causal agents of bacterial canker of cherry trees in South Africa was reported to be Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum. Subsequently, no further studies were undertaken on the disease or causal agents. The aim of the current study was to conduct field surveys to determine the current situation pertaining to bacterial canker in the major cherry producing areas of South Africa. Following isolations from infected trees, strains were characterized using biochemical as well as multilocus sequence analyses (MLSA). Pathogenicity tests were undertaken with immature cherry fruit as well as three different cherry cultivars. Although symptoms of bacterial canker were present in all areas surveyed, P. syringae isolates were only isolated from three sites in the Western Cape Province. The isolates collected in this study showed a hypersensitive response on tobacco leaves and were pathogenic on immature cherry fruit and cherry trees. The phenotypic tests and MLSA using four genes (cts, gapA, gyrB and rpoD) showed phenotypic and genetic identity with Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Selected strains induced a hypersensitive response on tobacco leaves and were pathogenic on immature cherry fruit and green cherry tree shoots. The current study shows that P. syringae pv. syringae is responsible for bacterial canker in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

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Acknowledgements

The Horticultural Knowledge Group (HORTGRO) and National Research Foundation (NRF) are acknowledged for funding this research. In addition, the cherry farmers are acknowledged for access to their farms and information provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 00282, South Africa

    M. Otto & T. A. Coutinho

  2. Agricultural Research Council, Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5026, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa

    Y. Petersen

  3. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    J. Roux

  4. 574 Molly Ryde Street, Garsfontein, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa

    J. Wright

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  1. M. Otto
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Correspondence to T. A. Coutinho.

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Otto, M., Petersen, Y., Roux, J. et al. Bacterial canker of cherry trees, Prunus avium, in South Africa. Eur J Plant Pathol 151, 427–438 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-017-1384-5

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