Authors
Leandro de León, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias (ICIA). Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain;
Felipe Siverio, Laboratorio de Sanidad Vegetal de la Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentación del Gobierno de Canarias. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain;
María M. López, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA). Moncada, Valencia, Spain; and
Ana Rodríguez, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias (ICIA). Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, and Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of
tomato bacterial canker, is a seedborne pathogen and is considered one of the
most destructive bacterial diseases of this crop. For this reason, in the
European Union and in many other countries, C. michiganensis subsp.
michiganensis is a quarantine pathogen. It was first reported at the
beginning of the twentieth century in Michigan (USA), and currently it is
present worldwide. Its movement over long distances is facilitated by traded
seeds, which explains its distribution throughout all of the tomato-growing
regions of the world, but its spread differs widely among countries. However, it
can also survive in plant debris and on volunteer plants or alternative hosts
that can act as local sources of inoculum. Previous reviews regarding tomato
bacterial canker were published in 1969 and 1993. This article discusses the
current disease situation, integrating previous data with the most recent
findings and new information available. The objectives of this article are: (i)
to review the progress on tomato bacterial canker, the role of infected or
infested seeds, and of local sources of inoculum in disease outbreaks; (ii) to
provide an overview of plant health regulations; and (iii) to update information
regarding research innovations and future perspectives on new, useful tools for
detecting seed contamination that can aid in designing new strategies to improve
control.
