Molecular Typing Reveals High Genetic Diversity of Xanthomonas translucens Strains Infecting Small-Grain Cereals in Iran

Abstract

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS) of small-grain cereals (i.e., wheat and barley) is one of the economically important diseases of gramineous crops worldwide. The disease occurs in many countries across the globe, with particular importance in regions characterized by high levels of precipitation. Two genetically distinct xanthomonads—namely, Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa and X. translucens pv. translucens—have been reported to cause BLS disease on small-grain cereals. As seed-borne pathogens, the causal agents are included in the A2 list of quarantine pathogens by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Despite its global distribution and high economic importance, the population structure, genetic diversity, and phylogeography of X. translucens remain undetermined. This study, using MLSA and MLST, provides a global-scale phylogeography of X. translucens strains infecting small-grain cereals. Based on the diversity parameters, neutrality indices, and population structure, we observe higher genetic diversity of the BLS pathogen in Iran, which is geographically close to the center of origin of common wheat, than has so far been observed in other areas of the world, including North America. The results obtained in this study provide a novel insight into the genetic diversity and population structure of the BLS pathogen of small-grain cereals on a global scale.