Abstract:
The bacterial blight of cassava was observed in Trivandrum, Kerala, during
1975 and since then its sporadic incidence was reported form other regions also.
The symptoms manifested as blighting of leaves, defoliation, die-back, necrosis of
stem, decay of roots (tubers) and wilting of plants. The causative bacterium
was isolated and its pathogenicity established by artificial inoculation. Based on
the morphological, physiological and biochemical characters of the bacterium and
the symptoms produced by it, the pathogen causing the blight of cassava was
identified as Xanthomonas manihotis fArthaud-Berthet) Starr.
