Motility and Survival of Salmonella Enterica Subspecies Enterica Serovar Enteritidis in Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum L).

The presence of enteropathogens such as Salmonella affects the quality and safety of vegetables that are consumed in a minimally processed state. Worldwide, tomatoes are one of the main vegetables whose raw consumption has caused health alerts. As such, the aim of this study was to determine the motility and survival of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis on greenhouse-grown tomato plants. A completely randomized experimental design was used, and bacteria were inoculated into the substrate at the time of transplanting as well as by puncturing the plant stem, petiole, and peduncle during the vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages. Survival was monitored throughout the production cycle; motility was evaluated separately in plant organs separated from the point of inoculation. Salmonella enteritidis survived the 120 days of the experiment both at the point of inoculation and in other organs of the tomato plant. For all treatments, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between bacterial counts in the root (12.45 ± 2.52 to 160 ± 4.01 CFU/g), stem (16.10 ± 2.31 to 90.55 ± 3.62 CFU/g), flower (7.0 ± 2.15 to 51.10 ± 3.80 CFU/g), and fruit (8.75 ± 2.38 to 28.2 ± 3.29 CFU/g). The results of the study indicate that Salmonella enteritidis in contact with tomato plants is a latent danger because its ability to enter, survive, and move within tomato plants until reaching the fruit, limits the effectiveness of commonly used disinfection methods, it would potentiate the risk to human health.

Detección de Ca Liberibacter solanacearum y fitoplasmas en cultivo de papa (Solanum tuberosum L) en el Valle de Toluca / Detection of Ca Liberibacter solanacearum and phytoplasma in potato crop (Solanum tuberosum L) in Toluca Valley

En México y Centro América se han detectado tubérculos de papa con manchado interno. Recientemente en Texas EUA a esta enfermedad se le ha denominado "Zebra Chip" (ZC) o rayado de la papa, los síntomas foliares se asemejan al síndrome denominado "Punta Morada de la Papa" (PMP) o enfermedad del "amarillamiento por psilidos" la cual es asociada con la presencia de "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum". El objetivo de esta investigación fue detectar la presencia de esta bacteria y de fitoplasmas en plantas de papa que presentaban la coloración purpura de los foliolos. Durante el ciclo primavera - verano 2011 y 2012 se hizo un muestreo en los municipios de Tenango del Valle, Zinacantepec, Villa de Allende y San José del Rincón, del Estado de México. La detección de ambos patógenos se realizó mediante la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) con los iniciadores específicos para fitoplasmas: P1/P7, R16mF2/R16mR1 y para Ca Liberibacter solanacearum: OA2/Oi2c, resultando el 35,8% de las plantas positivas para fitoplasmas y el 11,6% para la bacteria. Los resultados indican que en algunas regiones productoras de papa del Estado de México, los dos presuntos agentes causales del síndrome de PMP, fitoplasmas y Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum, pueden estar asociados.

In Mexico and Central America have been detected stained potato tubers with internal browning; recently in Texas, USA, this disease has been called "Zebra Chip" (ZC) or striped potato, foliar symptoms resemble the syndrome called "Potato Purple Top" (PPT) or "psyllid yellows" disease which is associated with the presence of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum". The aim of the current work was to detect the presence of this bacterium and phytoplasma in potato plants with purple top symptoms. During 2011 and 2012 Spring - Summer cycle, a directed sampling was carried out in Tenango del Valle, Zinacantepec, Villa de Allende and San José del Rincón, State of México. The detection of both pathogens was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with specific primers for phytoplasmas: P1/ P7, R16mF2/R16mR1 and for Ca Liberacter solanacearum: OA2/Oi2c, being 35,8 % from the positive plants for phytoplasmas and 11,6 % for this bacterium. These results indicated that in some areas these two PPT syndrome suspected causative agents, phytoplasmas and Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum, could be associated in the State of Mexico potato-producing region.