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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #175664
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF RATHAYIBACTER RATHAYI IN OREGON AND MARYLAND

Author
item POSTNIKOVA, E - UNIV OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN
item AGARKOVA, I - UNIV OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN
item RILEY, I - UNIV OF ADELAIDE AUST
item Alderman, Stephen
item OCAMB, C - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item VIDAVER, A - UNIV OF NEBRASKA LINCOLDN
item Schaad, Norman

Submitted to: Phytopathology Supplement; APSnet (Plant Pathology Online)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2004
Publication Date: 8/31/2004
Citation: Postnikova, E., Agarkova, I., Riley, I.T., Alderman, S.C., Ocamb, C.M., Vidaver, A.K., Schaad, N.W. 2004. Identification of rathayibacter rathayi in oregon and maryland. Phytopathology Supplement; APSnet (Plant Pathology Online). v. 94(Supplement)S85.

Interpretive Summary: Most bacteria in the genus Rathayibacter, are carried by Anguina nematodes and cause gummosis in grasses and cereals. R. toxicus produces lethal animal toxins in fodder grasses in Australia and Africa. R. tritici is officially regulated in the USA and some other wheat-growing countries. Bacterial gummosis in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is problematic for seed production in Oregon, with up to 5% heads affected in 2003. The causal organism was identified on as Rathayibacter sp. Several slow-growing yellow-pigmented, gram-positive bacteria were isolated from affected plants from Oregon and Maryland. DNA was extracted for reassociation studies, AFLP analysis, and partial ITS sequencing. The new strains shared more than 70% DNA relatedness with R. rathayi but less than 70% with R. tritici or R. toxicus. The AFLP pattern closely matched that of R. rathayi and the ITS sequence was identical. This is the first confirmation of R. rathayi in Oregon and Maryland.

Technical Abstract: Most bacteria in the genus Rathayibacter, are carried by Anguina nematodes and cause gummosis in grasses and cereals. R. toxicus produces lethal animal toxins in fodder grasses in Australia and Africa. R. tritici is officially regulated in the USA and some other wheat-growing countries. Bacterial gummosis in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is problematic for seed production in Oregon, with up to 5% heads affected in 2003. The causal organism was identified on as Rathayibacter sp. Several slow-growing yellow-pigmented, gram-positive bacteria were isolated from affected plants from Oregon and Maryland. DNA was extracted for reassociation studies, AFLP analysis, and partial ITS sequencing. The new strains shared more than 70% DNA relatedness with R. rathayi but less than 70% with R. tritici or R. toxicus. The AFLP pattern closely matched that of R. rathayi and the ITS sequence was identical. This is the first confirmation of R. rathayi in Oregon and Maryland.