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Infection of roots of Dieffenbachia maculata by the foliar blight and soft rot pathogen, Erwinia chrysanthemi
Author(s) -
NIEVES–BRUN CARMEN
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
plant pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.928
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1365-3059
pISSN - 0032-0862
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3059.1985.tb02770.x
Subject(s) - biology , xylem , erwinia , pathogen , botany , blight , inoculation , parenchyma , horticulture , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , genetics
Erwinia chrysanthemi, the organism causing foliage blight, leaf spotting, basal stem rot and root rot of Dieffenbachia maculata, was shown to be capable of infecting via roots. Inoculated plants were sectioned and internal spread of the pathogen determined by ‘sandwich’ plating between two layers of Miller's selective medium. Light microscopy and SEM confirmed that the pathogen was present throughout the plant in the xylem. Resin ducts, previously claimed as being the route for systemic infection, were not found. Initially confined to the xylem, the pathogen spread intercellularly to the neighbouring parenchyma and, after about 8 days, pockets of infection, often surrounded by periderm–like tissues, were seen.