Sensitive and specific detection of Xanthomonas campestris pv. zinniae by PCR using pathovar-specific primers

A sensitive and specific assay was developed to detect bacterial leaf and flower spot disease on zinnia caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. zinniae (Xcz). A draft genome sequence was determined for Xcz strain E4, isolated from zinnia in Jilin province, China. Comparative genomics analyses were utilized to identify a sequence specific to Xcz in the unique gene 0834. This sequence region was amplified as 1044 bp DNA fragment using designed...