The species Erwinia carotovora (Pectobacterium carotovorum) consists of several subspecies of gram-negative, non-spore-forming, peritrichous, fermentative rod-shaped bacteria and belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. E. carotovora causes highest lasses of agricultural crops, vegetables and fruits of which the potato is economically most important. The prevention and control strategies for this dangerous bacterial pathogen is possible only through application of early and efficient detection and identification methods. Biochemical, serological and molecular methods suitable for the diagnosis of the pathogen were described. Application of several methods, including molecular markers, for genetic differentiation of the bacteria belonging to the same species or subspecies was also presented.
The Ralstonia (Pseudomonas) solanacearum bacteria cause the disease symptoms on potato, tomato, aubergine, banana and many other hosts. Since 1992 an increased number of outbrakes of potato brown rot, caused by the race 3, biovar 2 of these bacteria were reported in several EPPO member countries, including Belgium, France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The „low-temperature" race 3 of Ralstonia solanacearum L. was found in the most infested countries in surface water and in Solanum dulcamara, the weed growing along the waterways. The origins of this disease in western Europe may include the introduction through import of infected early ware or industrial potatoes from some countries of Mediterranean area. The prevention and control strategies for this dangerous bacterial pathogen are possible only through the application of early and sure detection and identification methods. Biochemical, serological and molecular methods suitable for the diagnosis of the pathogen are described.