OCCURRENCE OF PSEUDOMONAS-SYRINGAE PV ACTINIDIAE ON KIWIFRUIT IN ITALY

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae has been isolated from kiwifruit p lants for the first time in Italy. Biochemical tests were consistent w ith those characterizing the type-strain; pathogenicity tests yielded severe blights in the inoculated kiwifruit plants and no symptoms an l ilac, pear and peach. Nutritional tests as well as whole-cell protein profiles revealed slight differences between the strains isolated in J apan and those of the present study. The main symptoms observed in the held are a red-rusty exudation covering the bark of twigs and trunks, blight of young canes and plants, angular leaf spots surrounded by ch lorotic haloes and tiny cankers along the twigs.