NEW EVIDENCE OF THE ABILITY OF ACIDOVORAX AVENAE SUBSP. AVENAE TO BE SEED-TRANSMITTED IN CEREAL CROPS, DEMONSTRATED USING ARTIFICIAL INOCULATION OF WHEAT

Bacterial stripe and leaf blight of cereals, caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, pose a threat to agriculture in the context of rapidly expanding seed trade and global climate change. While the pathogen is known to spread through oat, maize, and rice seeds, its transmission via wheat seeds had not been documented. This study experimentally confirmed that A. avenae subsp. avenae can infect wheat seeds and remain viable. For the first time, necrotic spots of varying shapes and sizes, ranging from brown to dark brown in the embryo region, were observed on wheat kernels. This diagnostic feature can guide the creation of protocols for surveying grain production areas and grain inspection.