Pseudomonas
syringae Fact Sheet: |
Pseudomonas syringae is a BACTERIAL PLANT PATHOGEN.
This means that it is a bacterium that causes disease in plants. (Yes, plants get
sick too!)
Bacteria in the species P. syringae are divided into PATHOVARS depending on the plant they infect
Pathovar |
Plant
infected |
Disease
Name |
P.
syringae pv. tomato |
tomato |
bacterial
speck |
P.
syringae pv. tabaci |
tobacco |
tobacco
wildfire |
P.
syringae pv. phaseolicola |
bean
(Latin name = Phaseolis) |
halo
blight |
Some
of the diseases caused by P. syringae pathovars are shown below and can
result in significant crop loss. The bacteria are spread from plant to plant by
splashing water and enter leaves through leaf STOMATES
|
|
Halo
blight of bean caused by
P. syringae phaseolicola |
Bacterial speck of tomato
caused
by P. syringae tomato |
Scientists
participating in the Pseuomonas-Plant Interaction (PPI) Project study the P.
syringae proteins that cause the disease These are called VIRULENCE PROTEINS. Scientists also
study how the virulence proteins get out of the bacterium and into the plant.
In
this module you'll: