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Clavibacter michiganensis, the causal agent of bacterial canker of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum), inflicts severe damage in tomato-producing countries worldwide and is considered one of the most significant pathogens affecting tomatoes. This species has been associated with seedborne transmission, highlighting the need for reliable PCR-based detection methods to support seed quarantine measures. To accumulate genomic resources for this purpose, this study determined the complete genome sequences of six strains of Japanese C. michiganensis, for which genome-level information has been limited. Phylogenomic analysis including representative foreign strains confirmed that this species is clearly distinct from other Clavibacter species. Furthermore, genetic diversity within the species was found to be low, indicating that its core genome is comparatively homogeneous. Additionally, the phylogenetic patterns observed here are consistent with multiple introductions of this species into Japan; however, detailed epidemiological interpretation requires additional sampling and analysis. The genome resources generated in this study provide a foundation for future investigations aimed at improving detection methods and advancing studies on the pathogenicity and ecology of this species. Formula: see text Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Sawada et al. (Wed,) studied this question.