Survival in soil of Xanthomonas perforans, causal agent of bacterial spot of tomato.

• Grant number: 23/02555-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Tadeu Antônio Fernandes da Silva Júnior
• Grantee: Giulia Dinardo Miranda
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Studies on the ecology of phytopathogenic bacteria are essential for the efficient management of phytobacterial diseases. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetables in the world and many diseases caused by fungi, viruses and bacteria can reduce its productivity. Bacterial leaf spot is caused by four species of the genus Xanthomonas, with X. perforans (Xap) being the prevalent species in tomato growing areas in Brazil. This research project aims to determine the survival of Xap in soil under Brazilian conditions. For this purpose, two experiments will be conducted in the years 2023 and 2024, with a rifampicin-resistant Xap strain, and the quantification of bacterial populations will be performed in a semi-selective culture medium. Confirmation of bacterial survival periods in both experiments will be performed by PCR reactions with specific primers for Xap. With the results obtained, it is expected to identify whether the soil is a survival niche for Xap, essential information for the adoption of more efficient management practices to control tomato bacterial spot.