Characterization of Erwinia amylovora strains collected in Spain
In Spain, Erwinia amylovora (EPPO A2 list) was found for the first time in 1995 in Guipúzcoa (País Vasco – see EPPO RS 96/107). Other isolated foci were then found in other parts of Spain: in 1996 in Navarra and Castilla-Léon (Segovia); in 1998 in Aragón (Huesca), Cataluña (Lérida) and Castilla-La Mancha (Guadalajara, Madrid); in 2000 in Aragón (La Rioja, Zaragoza). Eradication measures were applied in all affected areas. Intensive surveys carried out in other Spanish regions did not detect new outbreaks. Studies were carried out to characterize E. amylovora strains collected in Spain from 1995 to 2000. 130 strains isolated from 7 host plant species and 8 Spanish regions were characterized and compared with strains from other countries (colony morphology on various growing medium, antibiotic susceptibility, biochemistry, pathogenicity tests). Results of this comparison showed a high phenotypic homogeneity among Spanish isolates and no differences could be related to host or geographical origin. It is considered that the presence of E. amylovora in Spain is most likely related to the introduction of infected plant material from other countries.
Sources
Donat V, Biosca EG, Rico A, Peñalver J, Borruel M, Berra D, Basterretxea T, Murillo J, López MM (2005) Erwinia amylovora strains from outbreaks of fire blight in Spain: phenotypic characteristics.
Annals of Applied Biology 146(1), 105-114.