From the Research
The common genera under Pectobacterieae include Pectobacterium, Dickeya, and Brenneria, with Pectobacterium being particularly notable for containing important plant pathogens that cause soft rot diseases in various crops, as supported by the most recent study in 2022 1.
Key Points
- Pectobacterium species, such as P. carotovorum, are widespread and affect potatoes and vegetables, causing significant economic losses in crop production worldwide.
- Dickeya species, formerly classified as Erwinia chrysanthemi, also cause significant plant diseases, including blackleg in potatoes and soft rot in ornamental plants.
- Brenneria species are less common but still important plant pathogens.
- These bacteria are gram-negative, rod-shaped organisms that produce pectolytic enzymes, which break down plant cell walls, resulting in tissue maceration and the characteristic soft rot symptoms.
- Understanding these genera is essential for plant disease management in agriculture, as highlighted by studies on the pangenome of Pectobacterium, which shows a robust core and extensive exchange of genes from a shared gene pool 2.
Management and Control
- Biological control using actinobacteria, such as Streptomyces species, has been shown to be effective in managing soft rot diseases caused by Pectobacterium species 3.
- Phage-mediated biocontrol strategies are also being explored, with studies characterizing phages such as vB_PcaM_P7_Pc, which has been classified under the genus Certrevirus 1.
- The use of bacteriophages, such as P7_Pc, has been proposed as a potential biocontrol agent for the control of Pectobacterium carotovorum, with the phage showing a high phage titer and a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity 1.