Rapid identification methods forCorynebacterium insidiosum(McCulloch, 1925) Jensen, 1934

Abstract

A technique was developed to test the pathogenicity to lucerne of bacteria isolated from lucerne crops. Corynebacterium insidiosum was isolated readily from developing leaves as early as 10–14 days after root inoculation of 7-day-old seedlings, 7–14 days before visible leaf symptoms appeared. Agglutination tests using antisera prepared for two isolates of C. insidiosum enabled this species to be differentiated from C. sepedonicum, C. michiganense, C. poinsettiae, C. ralhayi, C. flaccumfaciens, and C. betae. These methods are valuable for diagnosis of bacterial wilt and also in testing lucerne varieties for resistance to the disease.