Abstract
We have isolated two ice nucleation-active bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. (INAP) and Xanthomonas sp. (INAX), from tea fields where bacterial shoot blight disease was caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. theae (P.s.t.). Seasonal population dynamics of P.s.t., INAP and INAX on the phyllosphere were investigated. A major ice nucleation-active bacterium was INAX, which was isolated from 90% of investigated tea fields. On the phyllosphere, the INAX population dynamics were not synchronized with P.s.t. population dynamics, and the INAX population increased during summer in mature tea fields. INAX was also detected in disease lesions with P.s.t..
