Resistance Characteristics of Chinese Cabbage Cultivars to Black Rot

Black rot of Chinese cabbage caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is one of the most severe diseases in crop cultivation. To define the resistance characteristics of Chinese cabbage to Xcc, we tested the virulence of eight Xcc isolates in four susceptible cultivars of Chinese cabbage. The isolates of Xcc showed different the virulence on the cultivars. On the other hand, we selected 22 resistant or moderately resistant cultivars of Chinese cabbage to Xcc and tested the occurrence of black rot on the cultivars caused by the isolates of Xcc. Mean disease severity of black rot on the Chinese cabbage caused by each isolate was also positively correlated with the virulence of Xcc isolates. Furthermore, the development of black rot in each cultivar increased according to virulence of Xcc isolates. The number of resistant cultivars of Chinese cabbage to eight isolates of Xcc decreased according to the virulence increase of bacteria. Taken together, these results suggest that resistance of Chinese cabbage cultivars to Xcc is likely affected by the virulence of Xcc isolates, but not result from race differentiation.