First report of Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum causing bacteria leaf streak of maize (Zea mays L.) in Argentina.

Bacterial leaf streak of maize is caused by the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum (Xvv). The disease is known to naturally infect maize in South Africa (Karamura et al. 2015) and was recently reported in the United States (Korus et al. 2017; Lang et al. 2017). Since 2010 the Plant Pathology Laboratory at the Universidad Catolica de Cordoba has observed the presence of bacterial leaf streak symptoms on maize leaves in the northern region of Cordoba, Argentina. The disease has since expanded its range and prevalence, from a few of the more susceptible hybrids to infecting all of the commercial hybrids available in the region. The severity can reach up to 60% of leaf area affected in the most severe cases. Each year from 2010 to 2017, the range of the disease has expanded from the initial reports in northern Cordoba province to the rest of the corn producing areas of Argentina confirmed by isolation. By the 2017 growing season, which in Argentina is from September to May with some variat...