| Summary: | Some wilted plants of Zornia sp. have been observed in CIAT experimental station of Quilichao, Cauca, Colombia, in 1980 and 1981. Bacteria later identified as Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens were isolated from these plants. This record and subsequent risk for disease free multiplication plots incited the Germplasm Health Laboratory of CIAT Genetic Resources Unit to undertake this study. The purpose of this research was to verify whether Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens was still present or not. Two kinds of plant material were investigated: seeds of 37 Zornia accessions of the GRU harvested in the CIAT stations at Quilichao and Palmira in the period 1979-2000, and plants from the multiplication plots. Isolation, staining and biochemical testing for seed and plant tissues were done according to standard procedures. Only four out of the 37 accessions showed seed Gram positive bacterial isolates that grew at 37oC. These accessions were Zornia brasiliensis 8025 harvest Palmira 1983A, Z. brasiliensis 8849 harvest Palmira 1983A, Zornia glabra 286 harvest Santander de Quilichao 1982 A y Z. glabra 14263 harvest Palmira 2000 A. The remaining 33 accessions did not show Gram positive bacterial isolates. In conclusion the preliminary results show that Gram positive bacterial isolates possibly of the Coryneform group can be found associated with seeds of Zornia, but without affinity with Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens subject to quarantine restrictions.
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