First report of Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes causing maize leaf blight disease in Iran
In 2020 an emerging leaf blight disease of maize (Zea mays) was observed in Kerman province of Iran. Surveys in 2020-2022 confirmed the emergence of the disease. The causal agent was identified as Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes. Prior to this report this species was considered non-pathogenic to maize unlike Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii (EPPO A2 List).
Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes has previously been reported as the causative agent of onion (Allium cepa) and pineapple (Ananas comosus) rot, foxtail (Setaria italica) and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) leaf spot, rice (Oryza sativa) leaf blight, and lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) wilt and leaf blight. It was also recently reported as causing pneumonia in humans.
Sources
Huang L, Price EP, Sarovich DS, Johns D, Subedi S (2025) Bacteremia and community-acquired pneumonia caused by Pantoea stewartii subspecies indologenes, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases 31(2), 328. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3102.240546
Mangeli F, Sistani F, Lori Z, Azadvar M, Hosseinipour A, Shahriyari N (2024) First report of maize leaf blight disease caused by Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes in Kerman Province, Iran. Crop Protection 184, 106836.