DIAGNOSTICS OF PHYTOPATHOGENS OF GENUS XANTHOMONAS INFECTING POACEAE PLANTS

Annotation Since 2001, plant pathogenic bacteria X . arboricola were found in Russian Federation on commercial fields of cabbage, rapeseed, sunflower, and barley. These atypical isolates of X . arboricola (atypical pathovariants) have wider occurrence year by year. Because of wide range of attacked plants, they became dangerous emerging plant pathogens in Russia. Available genome and MLST data of atypical strains confirms a mosaic-like genome structure, thus the traditional methods of diagnostic based on conservative evolutionallyneutral markers were not effective in relation to these strains. A number bactericide agents permitted for application in Russia is limited and not always effective, X . arboricola resistant cultivars are not reported. Today, an early and accurate diagnostics is the most effective way to reduce the economic harm of the pathogen. Bio-PCR is the most sensitive diagnostic method for the latent bacterial infection in seeds and planting material. We analyzed the complete genome sequences of the genome of atypical strains and previously published sequences of other xanthomonads and found the most suitable target gene. T4SS genes have the necessary level of polymorphism to identify the atypical X. arboricola strains.