Field dispersal of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria, and Alternaria macrospora by animals, people, birds, insects, mites, agricultural tools, aircraft, soil particles, and water sources

Abstract

Viable disseminating units of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Okabe) Young, Dye and Wilkie and Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Doidge) Dye, the bacterial leaf pathogens of tomato and pepper, respectively, and Alternaria macrospora Zimm, the causal agent of Alternaria blight in cotton, were found to be carried by a wide variety of agents including animals, people, insects, mites, agricultural tools, aircraft, soil particles, and water sources. Of these, specific insects and tools commonly used for crop cultivation were the most heavily contaminated. Soil adhering to agricultural tools or carried by various water sources can also serve as a disseminating agent. It was concluded that nearly all accidental agents passing through the infested field may act as vectors of these pathogens.