First reports of a new bacterial leaf blight of rice caused by Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii in Benin and Togo
In Benin, surveys were carried out from 2011 to 2015 in rice fields to assess the importance of bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (EPPO A1 List). Symptomatic leaf samples were collected and tested. As all isolates gave negative results in a multiplex PCR test for X. oryzae, further studies were conducted and revealed the presence of bacteria belonging to the genus Pantoea. Molecular and pathogenicity tests (to fulfill Koch’s postulates) confirmed that the bacteria which had been isolated from rice leaves were P. ananatis and P. stewartii (EPPO A2 List). It is noted that symptoms were observed in all surveyed localities (14 sites) with a disease incidence varying from 30 to 100%.
In Togo, surveys were also carried out in 2013 and 2014 in the main rice-growing regions (Kovié and Kpalimé) to evaluate the prevalence of plant-pathogenic bacteria. Rice leaves showing characteristic symptoms of bacterial leaf blight were collected and tested. Similarly, the bacteria which were isolated from rice leaves and grains were shown to be P. ananatis and P. stewartii.
According to the authors, this is the first time that P. ananatis and P. stewartii species are found causing a leaf blight disease on rice crops in Benin and Togo. According to the EPPO Secretariat this is also the first time that P. stewartii is reported from Africa.
Sources
Kini K, Agnimonhan R, Afolabi O, Milan B, Soglonou B, Gbogbo V, Koebnik R, Silué D (2017) First report of a new bacterial leaf blight of rice caused by Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii in Benin. Plant Disease 101(1), p 242.
Kini K, Agnimonhan R, Afolabi O, Soglonou B, Silué D, Koebnik R (2017) First report of a new bacterial leaf blight of rice caused by Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii in Togo. Plant Disease 101(1), 241-242.