Taxonomy of bacterial strains coupled with sheath rot complex and grain blotting of rice in North of Iran (Mazandaran province)

Abstract

In recent years, similar symptoms to sheath rot complex (SH C) and grain discoloration (GD) has been
observed in paddy fields in the north of Iran. To survey the etiology of this complex disease, 207
samples of rice plants showing wide range of sheath and grain discoloration were collected during
2002-2005 at booting and ripening stages from various geographical locations in Mazandaran province.
Pathogenic strains were often isolated from samples with the symptom of longitudinal brown to reddish
brown necrosis 5 mm wide extending the entire length of flag leaf sheath. Over 800 strains were isolated
from collected samples and tested for pathogenicity on rice and/or hypersensitivity on tobacco or
pelargonium. Pathogenic strains were isolated from 20.28% samples which contained only 5.3%of total
strains. Eighty two strains comprising 72 strains from plants showing symptoms of sheath rot and grain
discoloration, five strains from diseased seedling and five standard strains were analyzed for
phenotypic studies. Pseudomonas-specific primers were used to confirm identification of the genus.On
the basis of phenotypic characters and genus specific primers, the strains belonged to genera
Acidovorax and Pseudomonas. Cluster analysis of 67 biochemical characters grouped 70 selected
strains into seven distinct cluster and six groups with one member. The results confirmed that
pathogenic strains associated with SH C and GD in Iran (Mazandaran province) belong to Acidovorax
avenae subsp avenae (2.32%), Pseudomonas putida (2.32%), Pseudomonas marginalis (6.65%),
Pseudomonas syringae (76.7%) and two unidentified species of Pseudomonas (13.95%). Accordingly,
the P. syringae was revealed that is the major causal tnega of SH C and GD in north of Iran.