The Toxin of Pseudomonas Phaseolicola

Abstract

A pathogen is any organism that can cause disease. Pseudomonas phaseolicola is a bacterial pathogen of the kidney bean plant Phaseolus vulgaris L. It enters the plant mainly through the stomata and multiplies primarily in the intercellular spaces. A complex interaction of many factors which include the bacterial strain and the nature of the host plant will then determine whether or not the plant will harbor a disease known as the halo blight. The halo blight is a disease characterized primarily by the appearance of chlorotic or yellow haloes in the leaves-around the infection site. In systemically infected plants, the chlorotic haloes also appear in the developing trifoliate leaves and growth is retarded (11).