Bacterial soft rot, a new disease of balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

Abstract

Soft rotten fruits of balsam pear were found in orchards of Kanagawa and Okinawa prefecture, Japan in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The causal bacterium was identified as Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora according to its bacteriological characteristics. The name soft rot (Nampu byo) was proposed for this new disease.