Abstract
A previously unreported sprout decay disease of lucerne affecting as many as 15 % of sprouts was observed in Northwest China (Gansu province) in May of 2011. Bacteria were isolated and a range of identification methods undertaken including bacteriological tests, carbon source utilization profiling (Biolog) and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The bacterial isolates (YZ-DS 1, 2, and 3) were finally identified as Enterobacter cloacae. Lucerne seed inoculations revealed that E. cloacae isolated from infected sprouts produced a yellowing and rot similar to that observed on the original symptomatic sprouts, thus identifying E. cloacae as the causal agent of the outbreak. To our knowledge, this is first report of E. cloacae causing sprout decay of lucerne worldwide.
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Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by the National Key Basic Research Program (973) of China (2007CB108902) and National Construction of Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System of China – Forage Industrial Technology System. We thank Dr. Cory Matthew for polishing the English, Prof. Yanrong Wang for supplying the lucerne seeds, Prof. Xiurong Chen, Dr. Chengde Yang, Dr. Tingyu Duan for technical assistance.
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Zhang, Z., Nan, Z. Occurrence of lucerne seed-borne Enterobacter cloacae sprout decay in Gansu Province of China. Eur J Plant Pathol 135, 5–9 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-012-0072-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-012-0072-8