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Curtobacterium, A Foliar Pathogen Isolated from Maize in Central Argentina
Viviana López-Ramírez1, Marcos Ruíz1, Ezequiel Rossi1
1Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas (INIAB), Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC)-CONICET, Agencia Postal No. 3, X580BYA, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina.
Current Microbiology
|July 19, 2022
Summary
This study identifies bacteria causing disease in Argentinian maize crops, finding Curtobacterium to be a significant pathogen. This research is crucial for developing effective crop disease management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Pathology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Bacterial diseases significantly impact crop yield and quality, yet remain understudied in agronomic crops.
- Maize (Zea mays) is a vital global crop susceptible to various pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and identify bacteria from symptomatic maize leaves in Cordoba, Argentina.
- To determine the pathogenicity of isolated bacterial strains on maize.
Main Methods:
- Bacterial isolation from field-collected maize leaves.
- Identification using whole-cell matrix-assisted laser-desorption-ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rDNA sequencing.
- Pathogenicity testing of selected bacterial isolates on maize plants.
Main Results:
- Exiguobacterium and Curtobacterium genera were dominant among isolated bacteria.
- A Curtobacterium sp. strain (RC18-1/2) successfully induced disease symptoms in maize, mirroring field observations.
- This is the first reported instance of a pathogenic Curtobacterium strain isolated from maize.
Conclusions:
- Curtobacterium represents a newly identified bacterial pathogen affecting maize crops.
- Integrated disease management strategies, including resistant cultivars and biocontrol agents, are essential for controlling maize bacterial diseases.
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