Genetic Diversity and Pathogenicity of Xanthomonas axonopodis Strains Inducing Citrus Canker Disease in Iran and South Korea

For the first time in 1989 citrus bacterial canker disease has seen on Citrusaurantiifolia in southern Iran. A total of 43 strains from affected citrus trees, ten strains from South Korea and representative from all known five pathotypes of Xanthomonas axonopodis pathogenic on citrus trees were used in this study. Isolated strains from Iran were indistinguishable by phenotypic, FAMEs, and SDS-PAGE analyses but showed different host range. First group were pathogenic on all tested citrus seedlings including C. aurantiifolia, C. limettioides, C. limon, C. jambhiri, Poncirus trifoliata X C. paradisi, C. aurantium, C. paradise, C. medica, P. trifoliate, C. grandis, C. sinensis, C. reticulate and C. sinensis X P. trifoliate. Pathogenicity of the second group were limited to C. aurantiifolia, C. limettioides, C. limon, C. jambhiri, P. trifoliata X C. paradis, and C. aurantium. Among the strains studied by AFLP fingerprinting six clusters were found. These clusters were: (1) strains of pathotype C; (2) strains of pathotypes B and D; (3) strains of pathotype A together with the main group of the Iranian strains; (4) strains isolated from Korea; (5) strains of pathotype E; and (6) seven strains from Iran which made a completely separate cluster. Strains from pathotypes B and D could not be differentiated by AFLP. The tested Iranian strains belongs to the two different groups and strains from Korea grouped as a subcluster from main cluster of Iranian strains belong to the pathotype A.