Bacterial wilt of oxalis caused by
Ralstonia solanacearum in Brazil.
Symptoms of bligth with subsequent drop of leaves
as well as wilting and death of plants were observed in
flower-beds with oxalis, in gardens of the city of São
Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The vascular system
of these plants were typically discolored. Microscopic
examinations of the cut stems showed abundant
bacterial streamings. Isolations on tetrazolium medium
yielded pink and slimy colonies which, when inoculated
onto healthy oxalis plants, reproduced the symptoms.
The bacterium was reisolated from diseased tissues and
biochemical, cultural and physiological tests confirmed
the pathogen as R. solanacearum (sin. Pseudomonas
solanacearum), biovar 1. Bacterial strain was deposited
in IBSBF Culture Collection under accession number
1548.