Abstract

C. equisetifolia seedlings exhibiting needle yellowing and wilt symptoms were observed in Kerala, India in 1984 and 1989. When split open, stems and roots of wilted seedlings produced a free flowing bacterial ooze. The bacterium isolated from the wilted plants was characterized as Gram-negative, oxidase and catalase positive and arginine dihydrolase negativeit produced gas from nitrate and acid from various carbohydrates. Wilt produced on tomato, aubergine and Capsicum indicated that the pathogen belongs to Race I and Biovar III of Pseudomonas solanacearum. This is the first report of this pathogen on C. equisetifolia in India