Identification of candidate type 3 effectors that determine host specificity associated with emerging Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum strains

Abstract Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum (Rps), previously known as R. solanacearum phylotypes I and III is one of the causal agents bacterial wilt, a devastating disease that affects more than 250 plant species. Emerging Rps strains were identified infecting new hosts. P824 strain was isolated from blueberry in Florida. including PD7123 hybrid tea roses several countries through Europe. P781 representative commonly found on mandevilla UW757 osteospermum plants originating Guatemala. These are phylogenetically closely related economic importance their respective The objective this study to associate Type 3 Effectors (T3Es) repertoire these four with host specificity. Candidate T3E associated specificity blueberry, rose, osteospermum, by sequence homology. Pathogenicity assays 8 hosts including, mandevilla, rose 4 showed both pathogenic rose. only non-pathogenic osteospermum. Hypotheses based correlation presence/absence pathogenicity profiles candidate virulence avirulence for Two strategy applied here can be used reduce number genes different