Bacterial Stalk Rot of Corn Caused by Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. zeae (Sabet) Victoria, Arboleda et Muñoz Occurred in Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

In 1990 and 1991, the disease of stalk rot of corn occurred in Hokkaido, Japan. Brown, water-soaked lesions developed first on leaf sheaths of the affected plants, and then the stalks collapsed. From lesions, several bacterial isolates, which were pathogenic to corn by spray inoculation, were obtained. The bacteriological characteristics and pathogenicity of this bacterium were identical to those of Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. zeae (Sabet) Victoria, Arboleda et Muñoz, which cause bacterial stalk rot of corn. On the basis of physiological properties, they belong to biovar 3 (Samson et al. 1989).