Population Genomics Reveals an Emerging Lineage of Xanthomonas perforans on Pepper.

Xanthomonas perforans-the dominant causal agent of bacterial leaf spot of tomato-is an emerging pathogen of pepper, indicative of a potential host expansion across the southeastern United States. However, studies of the genetic diversity and evolution of X. perforans from pepper remain limited. In this study, the whole-genome sequences of 35 X. perforans strains isolated from pepper from four fields and two transplant facilities across southwest Florida between 2019 and 2021 were used to compare genomic divergence, evolution, and variation in type III secreted effectors. Phylogenetic analysis based on core genes revealed that all 35 X. perforans strains formed one genetic cluster with pepper and tomato strains from Alabama and Turkey and were closely related to strains isolated from tomato in Indiana, Mexico, and Louisiana. The in planta population growth of tomato strains isolated from Indiana, Mexico, Louisiana, and Turkey in pepper leaf mesophyll was on par with pepper X. perforans and X. euvesicatoria strains. Molecular clock analysis of the 35 Florida strains dated their emergence to approximately 2017. While strains varied in copper tolerance, all sequenced strains harbored the avrHah1 transcription activation-like effector located on a conjugative plasmid, not previously reported in Florida. Our findings suggest that there is a geographically distributed lineage of X. perforans strains on tomato that has the genetic background to cause disease on pepper. Moreover, this study clarifies potential adaptive variants of X. perforans on pepper that could help forecast the emergence of such strains and enable immediate or preemptive intervention.

Draft genome sequences of 11 Xanthomonas strains associated with bacterial spot disease in Turkey.

Bacterial spot is an economically significant disease in tomato and pepper-producing countries globally. We report the whole-genome sequence of 11 Xanthomonas strains associated with bacterial spot disease on pepper, tomato and eggplant in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, Turkey. This genomic information can be used as a reference to study the genetic diversity of these species and contribute to illuminating pathogen evolution with respect to host specificity.