Reclassification of the xanthomonads associated with bacterial spot disease of tomato and pepper

Four phenotypic xanthomonad groups have been identified that are pathogenic to pepper, tomato, or both hosts. These include groups A and C which are found in Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, group B found in X. vesicatoria, and group D found in 'X. gardneri'. We present DNA:DNA hybridization data in which X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria group A and C strains have less than 70% DNA relatedness with each other, with the type strain of X. axonopodis, and with the currently classified species within Xanthomonas and, therefore, should be removed from this species and given species status. We present information that the A strains most closely resemble the strains originally isolated by Doidge in 1921. In an attempt to avoid confusion in nomenclature as stated in Principle 1 of the Bacteriological Code, we propose that the A strains of X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria be renamed as X. euvesicatoria (ATCC11633(T) = NCPPB2968(T) = ICMp 109(T) = ICMP 98(T)). Use of the euvesicatoria epithet should be reserved for strains originally identified by Doidge, which she designated Bacterium vesicatorium (Ann. Appl. Biol. 7: 407-430, 1921) in the original description when she referred to those strains as being feebly amylolytic. The name X. perforans sp. nov. is proposed for the C group of strains previously designated as X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria (ATCC BAA-983(T) = NCPPB 4321(T)). We also propose that 'X. gardneri', which has less than 70% DNA relatedness with any of the Xanthomonas species and which has never had taxonomic status, be named X. gardneri (ATCC 19865(T) = NCPPB 8811) to reflect the specific epithet proposed by Sutic [17] in 1957.