Plasmids from three broad-host-range (bhr) incompatibility groups (Inc) were evaluated for use as cloning vectors in Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum (Xcm), the causal agent of bacterial blight of cotton. The IncP vectors pLAFR3 and pVK102 could not be introduced into Xcm at a significant frequency (less than 1 x 10(-10] and IncQ vectors such as pKT210 were unstable in their maintenance and tended to delete cloned inserts. IncW vectors such as pSa747 also were lost readily from Xcm in the absence of selection pressure. We constructed two plasmids, pUFR027 and a cosmid derivative, pUFR034, which have proven useful as cloning vectors in Xcm and other xanthomonads. They contain the pSa origin of DNA replication, the partition locus parA from the Agrobacterium plasmid pTAR, a neomycin-resistance selection marker, and alacZ alpha cassette with cloning sites. pUFR027 is 9.3 kb, and pUFR034 is 8.7 kb in size. They can be mobilized by conjugation into Xcm at a frequency of approx. 1 x 10(-6) per recipient and are maintained stably (greater than 95% retention over 36 generations without selection pressure) in both broth culture and in planta. The plasmids were introduced and maintained stably in X. citri, and in X. campestris pathovars campestris, citrumelo, vesicatoria and translucens, and were moderately stable in X. phaseoli. No effects of the plasmids on pathogenicity have been observed.