Isolation of Xanthomonas axonopodis Pv. Malvacearum From Symptomatic Cotton Bolls

The recent outbreak of bacterial blight in parts of the mid-south and southastern US has led to many questions regarding initial inoculum of the causal agent (Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum (Xam)). Lab assays were conducted to determine the isolation frequency of Xam from cotton seed collected from bolls expressing various levels of sypmtoms (low, moderate, high) of three cultivars.