CHARACTERIZATION OF XANTHOMONAS-CAMPESTRIS PV VESICATORIA FROM CAPSICUM-ANNUUM-L IN ITALY

In the summer of 1991 and 1992, 38 strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria were isolated from pepper leaves and fruits in a number of central (Latium, Marche, Tuscany, and Umbria) and southern (Apulia) Italian regions. Race and copper and streptomycin sensitivity of the bacterial strains were determined. Races 1, 2, and 3 were found to be present on pepper. Of the strains tested, 39, 16, and 45% belonged to races 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Of all strains tested, 45% were resistant to copper sulfate (200 mug/ml), while none were resistant to streptomycin sulfate (100 mug/ml). All of race 2 and 73% of race 1 strains were resistant to copper, while all race 3 strains were copper sensitive.