Occurrence of Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida associated to tomato pith necrosis in Brazil

ABSTRACT In 2016, several reports emerged of fresh-market staked tomato plants with severe symptoms pith necrosis and premature death in commercial cultivation areas the states Paraná Minas Gerais, Brazil, which are similar to those caused by Pseudomonas corrugata. Four bacterial strains were isolated from infected tissue samples characterized as Gram-negative, aerobic, fluorescent on King’s B Medium. LOPAT tests performed isolate UFU H120 was classified into group Vb (+ + ? ?) isolates H3, H6, H21 Va (? ?). The pathogenicity confirmed artificial inoculation Santa Cruz type, cv. Kada Gigante, Koch’s postulates accomplished successfully. sequences their 16S rRNA gene region compared deposited GenBank, aligning fluorescens (99,45% similarity) putida (99.2, 99.53 99.64% similarity, respectively). Notably, P. most known saprophytic bacteria normally present soil, although both these species have already been reported infect Italy. However, so far, there not any such being phytopathogenic or crop Brazil. Thus, our knowledge, this is first report occurrence