Genome Sequencing Reveals the Presence of Five Pathogenic Bacterial Species in Wheat in Argentina

Abstract

Wheat is a highly important food grain source in the human diet and is considered a global primary commodity. A number of bacterial diseases affect wheat production around the globe and are reported to reduce annual wheat production by about 10% and up to 40% depending on climatic conditions such as humidity and precipitations. Accurate, sensitive, and timely detection of these and other pathogens is essential for effective crop disease management. In the present study, using real-time ONT sequencing, we identified the presence of five species of pathogenic bacteria in wheat leaf lesions during a natural infection in Argentina, and sequenced and assembled their complete genomes. The isolated species were the G(+) Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens and Clavibacter tessellarius, and the G(-) Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa, Pantoea ananatis and Pseudomonas syringae. This paper contributes with accurate data on the phylogenetic status of the five isolated species, as well as current whole-genome-scale data on the species involved, providing a basis for further application of omics strategies in the study of genetic diversity and exploration of the virulence strategies of the pathogens for future improvement of wheat health.