Studies in the Redistribution of Some Phytopathogenic Species of Bacillus

The genus Bacillus as recently defined excludes non-endospore formers which necessitates a redistribution of the phytopathogenic species. The studies from which this preliminary report is taken deal with the possible reclassification of eight species of peritrichous phytopathogenic bacteria. More than 50 species of bacterial plant pathogens have been described as belonging to the genus Bacillus. In only a comparatively few of these named species do the original citations include a description adequate for accurate identification and classification. A number of these have since been relegated to synonymy. Out of all these species, cultures of only eight could be obtained from various laboratories and culture collections. Cultural and limited cross-inoculation studies on 75 isolates of these eight species of peritrichous plant pathogens have served as a basis for the determination of the relationships of the species. These studies indicate that these eight species constitute two separate and distinct groups of bacteria. One of these groups may be included in the genus Erwinia Com. S.A.B., 1917. The other group, involving the soft rot organisms, will probably constitute a separate new genus or be included in some other existing genus