Identification and Characterization of Pseudomonas fuscovaginae, the Causal Agent of Bacterial Sheath Brown Rot of Rice, from Madagascar and Other Countries

Four unidentified bacterial strains that caused sheath necrosis and sterility of rice spikelets in Madagascar were compared with nine known strains of Pseudomonas fuscovaginae. All 13 strains were pathogenic on rice seedlings and caused symptoms identical to those described for bacterial sheath brown rot. Based on 151 cultural, cytological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, we demonstrated that the unidentified strains were P. fuscovaginae. (…)