Abstract
A bacterial wilt of statice (Limonium sinuatum Mill.) plants was observed in Kochi Prefecture in 1985. Affected leaves showed unilateral chlorosis or entire wilting. The midvein and lateral veins often turned to pronounced red color in localized portions of affected leaves. The disease occurs severely in the hot season but not in winter. A non-fluorescent, aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium was isolated from the diseased plants. The bacteriological characteristics of 25 isolates of the bacterium coincided with those of the type strain and reference strains of Pseudomonas caryophylli which were isolated from carnations. The bacterium as well as reference strains attacked statices and carnations by artificial inoculations and it reproduced the similar symptoms to those of the natural infections. On the basis of bacteriological characteristics and pathogenicities, the bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas caryophylli (Burkholder 1942) Starr and Burkholder 1942. Bacterial wilt of statice was proposed for the name of the disease.
