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Title: ISOLATION, DESCRIPTION, AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASED COFFEE (COFFEE ARABICA) AND AVOCADO (PERSEA AMERICANA) PLANTS FROM COSTA RICA

Author
item CHACON, C. - U. COSTA RICA
item MONTERO-ASTUA, MAURICIO - U. COSTA RICA
item Hartung, John
item LI, WENBIN - U. FLORIDA
item GARITA, L. - U. COSTA RICA
item RIVERA, C. - U. COSTA RICA

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2005
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Chacon, C., Montero-Astua, M., Hartung, J.S., Li, W., Garita, L., Rivera, C. 2006. Isolation, description, and identification of bacteria associated with diseased coffee (coffee arabica) and avocado (persea americana) plants from costa rica. American Phytopathological Society. 96(6):S162.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The possible interaction between endophytic bacterial populations within citrus plants and citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) caused by Xylella fastidiosa has been analyzed previously. The genus Methylobacterium was initially associated with CVC symptoms, and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens with the lack of symptoms of CVC. Xylella fastidiosa was demonstrated to be the causal agent of the “crespera” disease of coffee plants in Costa Rica and its association with a new disease of avocado, showing CVC-like symptoms, has been suggested. Several bacterial strains have been obtained during attempts to isolate X. fastidiosa from symptomatic coffee and avocado plants from Costa Rica. All coffee strains and several strains from avocado have been characterized by detailed description of colony morphology, Gram stain, biochemical assays, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, Methylobacterium mesophilicum was isolated from two symptomatic avocado trees and the presence of the bacterium was determined by PCR with DNA samples from 10 avocado trees. The predominant bacteria isolated from these samples were tentatively identified by fatty-acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis as Pseudomonas syringae-glycinea, Pantoea agglomerans, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens-betae/oortii, Moraxella nonliquefaciens and Enterobacter intermedius. Our goals are to confirm the endophytic nature of the isolated bacteria, to determine their identity and frequency, and to determine their interactions with X. fastidiosa in order to establish the role of these bacteria in the development of “crespera” disease in coffee plants as well as their potential roles in a new disease of avocado.