Cassava diseases caused by Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis and Xanthomonas cassavae

Abstract

Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis (Xpm) and X. cassavae (Xc) are two bacterial pathogens attacking cassava. Cassava bacterial blight (CBB) is a systemic disease caused by Xpm, which might have dramatic effects on plant growth and crop production. Cassava bacterial necrosis is a nonvascular disease caused by Xc with foliar symptoms similar to CBB, but its impacts on the plant vigour and the crop are limited. In this review, we describe the epidemiology and ecology of the two pathogens, the impacts and management of the diseases, and the main research achievements for each pathosystem. Because Xc data are sparse, our main focus is on Xpm and CBB.