Development of Efficient Screening Method for Resistance of Cabbage Cultivars to Black Rot Disease Caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Black rot caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is one of the most serious diseases of crucifers world-wide. To establish the efficient screening method for resistant cabbage to Xcc, different inoculation methods, inoculation positions, growth stages of seedlings, and incubation temperatures after inoculation were investigated with the seven cabbage cultivars showing different resistance degrees to the pathogen. Clipping with mouse-tooth forceps was better inoculation method than piercing with 18 pins or cutting with scissors to distinguish the level of resistance and susceptibility. In inoculation using mouth-tooth forceps, clipping the edges of the leaves near veins is more effective than injuring the veins of the leaves directly. In addition, the inoculated plants kept at 22oC showed more clear resistant and susceptible responses than those kept at 26 or 30oC. On the basis of the results, we suggest that an efficient screening method for resistance of cabbage cultivars to black rot is to clip the edges of the leaves near veins of the four-week-old seedlings with mouth-tooth forceps dipped in a suspension of Xcc at a concentration of 7 × 107 cfu/ml an