First Report of Soft Rot Caused by Pectobacterium brasiliense on Summer Squash in Mississippi, USA

Abstract Summer squash ( Cucurbita pepo ) is a popular vegetable in Mississippi. These are harvested during the tender and immature stages. This vegetable is known to be a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, and iron. Small farms typically sell summer squash directly to consumers through local farmers’ markets. In this study, we isolated and identified a soft rot causing bacteria, Pectobacterium brasiliense strain 25ASUB12 (GenBank: PX884501 ), from symptomatic fruit of field-grown summer squash in Mississippi. We deployed both phenotypic and molecular techniques to identify this important pathogen which has a wide host range, including cucumbers, potatoes, and tomatoes.