2025/09/10 by Hao-Yu Zang, Huiyong Xu, Zhaoyang Zheng +9 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis #Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Studies #Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
paper · doi:10.1094/pdis-04-25-0931-re
openalex publication_date 2025/09/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Since its emergence in 2020, a novel bacterial leaf blight caused by Pantoea ananatis has posed a serious threat to rice production in Anhui Province, China. Through verification via Koch’s postulates and 3 years of field monitoring, P. ananatis strain HQ01 was identified as the dominant pathogen, exhibiting high virulence even at low inoculum concentrations (10 2 CFU/ml). Genomic analysis further revealed virulence-associated traits, including type III, IV, and VI secretion systems (T3SS/T4SS/T6SS), iron acquisition genes, and 160 carbohydrate-active enzymes linked to plant cell wall degradation. Meanwhile, resistance screening of 21 rice cultivars showed widespread susceptibility, with 95% of varieties classified as susceptible. In parallel, in vitro and in vivo trials identified tetramycin and zinc thiazole as the most effective chemical candidates. Despite these findings, control strategies remain inadequate for managing severe outbreaks. This study thus highlights the urgent need to develop resistant cultivars and sustainable bactericides to combat this emerging disease.