Incidence and Development of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae on Tomato Transplants in Georgia. R. D. Gitaitis, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, University of Georgia, Tifton 31793. J. B. Jones, Agricultural Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Bradenton 33508; and C. A. Jaworski, USDA, ARS, and S. C. Phatak, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, University of Georgia, Tifton 31793. Plant Dis. 69:32-35. Accepted for publication 11 June 1984. Copyright 1985 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-69-32.

During a 5-yr period (1980–1984), Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (PSS) was the most frequently recovered (58% of all diagnoses) bacterial plant pathogen from tomato transplants inspected in the Georgia plant-certification program. An additional 9.2% of the time, PSS was recovered from mixed infections with Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (XCV), but PSS was never found in conjunction with P. syringae pv. tomato (PST), the causal agent of bacterial speck. Twenty tomato cultivars grown as transplants varied greatly in susceptibility to PSS. Campbell 28 and Ohio 7663 were highly resistant, whereas Veepro, Peto 95, and Hunt 304 were moderately susceptible. The bacterium was recovered from leaf washings of symptomless wild cherry and rye leaves that were adjacent to or within tomato transplant fields.

Keyword(s): Lycopersicon esculentum, Prunus serotina, Secale cereale.