Ralstonia solanacearum: A wide spread and global bacterial plant wilt pathogen

Abstract

R. solanacearum causes serious wilt disease in plants which have a huge impact on yield and quality of many crop plants around the world. The host range of this pathogen is continuously expanding due to intensive agriculture practices at the global level. It is an aerobic non-spore forming, Gram-negative, soil borne, motile, which multiplies in the vascular tissue of plants that are responsible for wilting symptoms on the infected plants. The pathogen overwinters in diseased plant debris, propagative organs such as tubers, rhizomes, suckers, or seeds of some crops. It is presently considered as species-complex consisting of three species, five races, and four phylotypes. It can be detected through the use of vascular flow test and sensitive methods like Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), PCR, etc. The high incidence of plant mortality and lack of effective control methods make R. solanacearum as one of the world’s most destructive plant pathogens. For control and eradication of bacterial wilt, the integrated disease management approach must be adopted to avoid or limit pathogen survival and dissemination.