BACTERIA

Lei Ann T. Punla, MSA

Instructor
Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness 2
General Characteristics
• Prokaryotic microorganisms; largest group; no well defined
nucleus and nuclear membrane
• Typically one-celled
• Have unit membrane and rigid cell wall
• Reproduce asexually by binary fission
• Gene transfer is accomplished through:

Transformation – change in cell through uptake and expression

of additional genetic material

Transduction – transfer of genetic material from one bacterium

to another by means of a bacteriophage

Conjugation – transfer of genetic material from a donor cell to a

recipient cell through direct cell-to-cell contact
• Some with plasmids
- Extracellular, closed, circular genetic components
- Self-replicating; can be integrated into the bacterial chromosome and
replicated with it
- Cells may express new genetic characteristics through plasmids

• Advantages imparted by plasmids to bacteria

- Carry determinants for:
- Drug resistance
- Phage resistance
- UV resistance
- Survival in secondary habitats
- For pathogenesis
• Shapes
- Spherical (cocci)
- Rod-shaped (bacilli)
- Some rods and spirilla possess flagella

• Types of flagellation
- monotrichous
- lophotrichous
- amphitrichous
- peritrichous
Characteristics of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

• Most plant pathogenic bacteria are:

- Rod-shaped
- Aerobic
- Flagellated
- Gram negative
- Non-spore forming
• Exceptions:
- Streptomyces spp. – filamentous like a mold but their
biochemical and physiological properties like bacteria
- Genus Corynebacterium is gram positive
- Clostridia is anaerobic and spore-forming
Genera and Species of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

• There used to be only five major genera:

1. Pseudomonas
2. Xanthomonas
3. Agrobacterium
4. Corynebacterium
5. Erwinia

Now, there are 29 known genera of plant pathogenic bacteria:

1. Acetobacter
2. Acidovorax
3. Agrobacterium
4. Arthrobacter
5. Bacillus
6. Brenneria
7. Burkholderia
8. Clavibacter
9. Clostridium
10.Corynebacterium
11. Curtobacterium
12. Enterobacter
13. Erwinia
14. Gluconobacter (Rhizomonas)
15. Nocardia
16. Pantoea
17. Pectobacterium
18. Pseudomonas
19. Ralstonia
20. Rathayibacter
21. Rhizobacter
22. Rhodococcus
23. Sphingonomas
24. Serratia
25. Spiroplasma
26. Streptomyces
27. Xanthomonas
28. Xylella
29. Xylophilus
Symptoms caused by Bacteria
1. Leaf spot – bacteria in sub stomatal cavities and parenchyma
cells of leaves causing localized lesions.

Examples:
Xanthomonas campestris pv. Vesicatoria – leaf spot of tomato
and pepper
Pseudomonas syringae pv. Mori – leaf spot of mulberry
2. Soft rot – bacteria produce hydrolytic enzymes that degrade the middle
lamella and cell walls of the host resulting to soft, slimy, watery decay.

Example:
Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum – bacterial soft rot of
vegetables

3. Blight – general necrosis due to rapid growth and advance of bacteria

Examples:
Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tabaci – tobacco wildfire
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Dieffenbachiae – bacterial blight of anthurium
Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae – bacterial leaf blight of rice
4. Gall – due to hypertrophy and hyperplasia of meristematic and
parenchymatous tissues.

Example:
Agrobacterium tumefaciens – crown gall of roses

5. Canker – phloem and parenchyma tissues become sunken,

dry up and die.

Example:
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Citri – citrus canker
6. Wilting – a result of vascular disorders; bacteria multiply and block
normal flow of water.

Example:
Ralstonia solanacearum – wilt of solanaceous and non-solanaceous
plants.
Pantoea stewartii subsp. Stewartii – bacterial wilt of corn

7. Scab
8. Chlorosis
9. Streak – Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzicola – bacterial leaf streak
of rice
Control of Bacterial Diseases
a. Cultural – sanitation to reduce inoculum levels crop rotation
for bacterial pathogens that do not have a wide host range;
proper watering and drainage to inhibit infection and drainage.
b. Seed treatment – soak seeds in weak acid solution or sodium
hypochlorite.
c. Use antibiotics – ex: streptomycin, oxytetracycline;
disadvantage: bacteria soon develop resistance to chemicals
d. Use resistant cultivar
Thank you for listening!