Plant pathogenic Ralstonia species

Ralstonia solanacearum is an important phytopathogen that attacks many crops and native plants in warm and moist climates. In contrast, the closely related Ralstonia syzygii and blood disease bacterium attack primarily clove and banana, respectively, in and around Indonesia. This review should be useful both for scientist unfamiliar with these organisms and specialists in the field. It briefly examines the taxonomy of these organisms and summarizes the phenotypic and genetic diversity known to exist within the R. solanacearum species complex. The strategies used to detect and identify these pathogens are discussed. General aspects of the pathogens’ life cycle, the disease symptoms on representative hosts, and approaches to disease control are described. The biochemical and genetic mechanisms underlying pathogenesis, including results from recent genomic analyses, and host responses to infection are summarized.