Identification of Grapevine Crown Gall Bacteria Isolated in Japan

Abstract

Recently, the incidence of crown gall disease has been gradually increasing in some grapevine varieties including ‘Kyoho’ in Japan. Twenty-five bacterial isolates, which were obtained from the galls of grapevines collected in Iwate, Yamanashi, Nagano and Shimane Prefectures, were identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith et Townsend 1907) Conn 1942 based on their ability to induce galls on grapevine, tomato and sunflower using the needle prick inoculation method and also based on 90 cultural, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Although the isolates differed from the reference strains belonging to A. tumefaciens biovars 1 and 2 in 15 and 14 characteristics, respectively, they were similar to biovar 3 with respect to the features presented in Bergey's Manual (1984) except for the cleavage of ethanol and propionate. Based on these results it was suggested that the isolates belonged to A. tumefaciens biovar 3.