Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris)

Black rot is a disease of brassicas (cabbages, broccoli, brussel sprouts etc). It is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (shortened to Xcc). Infected plants have characteristic v-shaped lesions at the edges of leaves. The disease is found worldwide and thrives in warm, humid weather so climate change might lead to more severe outbreaks. In the UK there are already annual outbreaks in brassica-growing areas like Cornwall and Lincolnshire. It can spread through infected seeds or can infect mature plants through wounds after spreading via wind, rain or contaminated tools. Along with good farming methods, using healthy seeds is very important for controlling infection.

Researchers on out Xanthomonas Threats project are studying Xcc and other strains of Xanthomonas which infect strawberry, watercress and maize. They are focussing on genetics and plant-bacterial interactions to better understand how the disease starts and the ways plants might be able to resist infection.

Find out more about black rot via these resources:

• A factsheet on black rot from AHDB
• A video about black rot from Virginia Tech
• A factsheet on blackrot from the University of Kentucky

Find blog posts and news about Xanthomonas spp on this website