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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #357321
Title: Pecan bacterial leaf scorch, caused by Xylella fastidiosa, is endemic in Georgia pecan orchards

Author
item Bock, Clive
item OLIVE, JONATHAN - University Of Georgia
item Chen, Chunxian
item Hotchkiss, Michael - Mike
item STEVENSON, KATHERINE - University Of Georgia
item Wang, Xinwang
item Grauke, Larry
item HILTON, ANGELA - Texas A&M University
item JO, YOUNG-KI - Texas A&M University
item RANDALL, J - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2018
Publication Date: 10/19/2018
Citation: Bock, C.H., Olive, J.E., Chen, C., Hotchkiss, M.W., Stevenson, K.L., Wang, X., Grauke, L.J., Hilton, A.E., Jo, Y., Randall, J.J. 2018. Pecan bacterial leaf scorch, caused by Xylella fastidiosa, is endemic in Georgia pecan orchards. Plant Health Progress. 19(4):284-287.

Interpretive Summary: Pecan bacterial leaf scorch (PBLS), caused by Xylella fastidiosa, can cause severe disease in some pecan cultivars, resulting in yield loss. Only recently has some information been obtained regarding the distribution and extent of the disease in pecan in any state in the U.S.A. With emphasis on a susceptible cultivar, cv. Cape Fear, we sampled a total of 91 trees in 8 orchards from the south-western and central production areas in Georgia (GA), and found 60.4% of trees sampled infected, most showing symptoms of PBLS. Further multi locus sequence typing from 16 of these trees confirmed presence X. fastidiosa. The results confirm that X. fastidiosa is widespread geographically in GA, and different cultivars may be infected. This is the first definitive report confirming X. fastidiosa causing PBLS in different pecan producing areas and cultivars in GA.

Technical Abstract: Pecan bacterial leaf scorch (PBLS) is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. PBLS can cause severe disease in some pecan cultivars, resulting in yield loss. We sampled a total of 91 trees in 8 orchards from the south-western and central production areas in Georgia (GA), and found 60.4% of trees sampled were infected, most showing symptoms of PBLS. Further analysis from 16 of these trees confirmed presence X. fastidiosa. The results confirm that X. fastidiosa is widespread geographically in GA, and different cultivars may be infected. This is the first definitive report confirming X. fastidiosa causing PBLS in different pecan producing areas and cultivars in GA.