Role of the surface and extracellular substances of the phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris in its interactions with cabbage plants

Changes in some physiological and biochemical characteristics of cabbage (c v. Slava) seedling roots in response to inoculation with the phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris and its surface and extracellular substances were ev aluated. Seven days after the inoculation, the growth of the roots was slig htly suppressed and they contained increased amounts of peroxidase. The eff ect of the lipopolysaccharides stripped from the cell surface or isolated f rom the culture liquid of X. campestris was similar to that of the whole ce lls of the phytopathogen. The bacterial lectin isolated from the cell surfa ce material did not induce any defense response in cabbage plants but, pres umably, could play a role in the contact interactions between bacteria and plants.