Evaluation of Xanthomonas campestris Survival in a Soil Microcosm System

LÓPEZ, N.I., HAEDO A.S. AND B.S. MÉNDEZ

INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY

Springer-Verlag Ibérica, España

Año: 1999 vol. 2 p. 111 - 114

1139-6709

Summary Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris is a pathogen of cruciferousplants. We studied the survival of the wild type strain and mutant derivatives whichare deficient in exopolysaccharide (EPS) or in extracellular protease synthesis insoil microcosms in order to test the hypothesis that, in this environment, adherenceto soil particles and scavenging of nutrients are very important strategies for bacterialsurvival. In sterile soil microcosms, differences in survival were only observedbetween the EPS producer and its mutant. In non-sterile soil experiments, survivalof Prt– mutant was similar to EPS– mutant, suggesting that both characteristics havea strong influence in survival in the presence of the natural bacterial community.Bacterial decrease represented by the slope of regression lines was higher in nonsterilesoil microcosms due to the influence of biotic interactions.