Isolation and characterization of Erwinia piriflorinigrans causal agent flower necrosis of red poppy

Abstract

In 2016, necrosis symptoms was observed on stem and flower of red poppy (Papaver rhoeas) in Hamadan province of Iran. Symptomatic samples were collected and suspicious bacterial agent was isolated on nutrient agar medium. The phenotypic features of the bacterial strains were characterized and some molecular traits were examined. The bacterial strains phenotypically showed a high similarity to the members of Enterobacteriaceae, in particular Erwinia piriflorinigrans. All tested strains were pathogenic on red poppy and blossoms of pear under greenhouse condition. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and atpD genes sequences showed that representative strains were very similar to Erwinia piriflorinigrans. This is the first report of the presence of Erwinia piriflorinigrans as a causal agent of flower necrosis of red poppy worldwide.