Enterobacter spp.: a new evidence causing bacterial wilt on mulberry

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Microbiology
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Mulberry plants are susceptible to various diseases affecting cultivation.
• The specific bacterial agents causing mulberry wilt are not fully understood.
• Enterobacter species are known opportunistic pathogens in humans and environmental microbes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize the bacterial species responsible for mulberry wilt disease.
• To provide the first global report of mulberry disease caused by Enterobacter species.
• To investigate the pathogenic potential of Enterobacter species in plants.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and identification of bacterial strains from wilted mulberry plants.
• Bacteriological tests, electron microscopy, hypersensitive reaction assays, and Koch's postulates.
• Physiological and biochemical tests, fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAMEs), ERIC-PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Main Results:

• Thirty-six pathogenetic bacterial strains were isolated, with six representative strains identified as Enterobacter species.
• Comprehensive analyses confirmed the role of these Enterobacter strains in inducing mulberry wilt.
• This marks the first documented instance of Enterobacter-induced mulberry disease worldwide.

Conclusions:

• Enterobacter species are identified as causal agents of mulberry wilt disease.
• This discovery is crucial for developing effective mulberry disease management strategies.
• Findings contribute significant scientific knowledge to the study of plant-associated Enterobacter and their pathogenic potential.