Induction of root-mat symptoms on cucumber plants by Rhizobium, but not by Ochrobactrum or Sinorhizobium, harbouring a cucumopine Ri plasmid

Ochrobactrum CSL 2573, Rhizobium CSL 2411 and Sinorhizobium CSL 2611 strains harbouring the Agrobacterium cucumopine Ri plasmid (pRi), previously were shown to induce root-mat symptoms in an in vitro cucumber cotyledon assay. In whole-plant, rockwool-grown cucumber host tests Rhizobium CSL 2411 was shown to be as efficient an inducer of root-mat symptoms as the virulent Agrobacterium radiobacter strain NCPPB 4042, which also harbours a cucumopine pRi. Conjugal transfer of pRi to ingressing, avirulent Agrobacterium isolates was observed within root tissues with symptoms. Ochrobactrum CSL 2573 and Sinorhizobium CSL 2611 were not able to induce root-mat symptoms on plants. Rhizobium CSL 2411 and Ochrobactrum CSL 2573 were reisolated from inoculated plants, but Sinorhizobium CSL 2611 was not detected or isolated from inoculated plants 68 days after inoculation. It was postulated that the differences in pathogenicity observed between the in vitro and in situ host tests were caused by a lack of proper attachment to inoculated root tissues by pRi-harbouring Ochrobactrum and Sinorhizobium in the whole-plant host tests.