Characterization of Pectobacterium carotovorum causing a new soft rot disease on okra in Malaysia

Dark brown, necrotic pods with extensive water-soaked lesions caused by plant pathogenic bacteria were found on okra plants in different fields in Malaysia in 2010. PCR amplification of the pe ctate l yase ( pel ) gene and amplification of the 16S–23S rRNA (ITS) with G 1 and L 1 primers produced 434-, 535- and 570-bp fragments, respectively. From the similarity between the results of biochemical tests and their equivalency with standard bacteriological sources, PCR-based pel gene, and RFLP analysis of the ITS-PCR products, all isolates were identified as Pectobacterium carotovorum . This is the first report of P. carotovorum in okra from Malaysia.