''Erwinia'' is a genus of Enterobacterales bacteria containing mostly

plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomyc ...

ic species which was named for the famous

plant pathologist Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungus, fung ...

Erwin Frink Smith Erwin Frink Smith (January 21, 1854 – April 6, 1927) was an American plant pathologist with the United States Department of Agriculture. He played a major role in demonstrating that bacteria could cause plant disease. Life and career Smith w ...

. It contains Gram-negative bacteria related to '' Escherichia coli'', '' Shigella'', ''

Salmonella ''Salmonella'' is a genus of rod-shaped (bacillus) Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two species of ''Salmonella'' are ''Salmonella enterica'' and ''Salmonella bongori''. ''S. enterica'' is the type species and is fur ...

'', and '' Yersinia''. They are primarily rod-shaped bacteria. Many infect woody plants. A well-known member of this genus is the species '' E. amylovora'', which causes fire blight on apples, pears, and other

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are ''Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

crops; ''E. tracheiphila'', though, causes bacterial wilt of

cucurbits The Cucurbitaceae, also called cucurbits or the gourd family, are a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera, of which the most important to humans are: *''Cucurbita'' – squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds *''Lagena ...

. Other familiar species, such as '' E. carotovora'' (another major cause of plant diseases), are more distantly related to the fire blight bacterium, and have been moved to genera ''

Brenneria ''Brenneria'' is a genus of Pectobacteriaceae, containing mostly pathogens of woody plants. This genus is named after the microbiologist Don J. Brenner. Some members of this genus were formerly placed in ''Erwinia''. Species Species now plac ...

'', '' Dickeya'', and ''

Pectobacterium ''Pectobacterium'' is a bacterial genus of the family Pectobacteriaceae; it used to be a member of the genus ''Erwinia'', which was split into three genera: ''Erwinia'', ''Pectobacterium'', and ''Brenneria''. Species include ''Pectobacterium c ...

''. ''Erwinia aphidocola'' and ''E. persicina'' species were both observed to be present within the floral nectar microbial community of seven different orchid (''

Epipactis ''Epipactis'', or helleborine, is a genus of terrestrial orchids consisting of approximately 70 species. This genus is abbreviated as Epcts in horticultural trade. Description Their creeping, fleshy rhizomes grow offshoots, from which then eme ...

'') flower species. ''E. aphidicola'' appears to display characteristics of a pathogen as it had decimated fifty percent of a bean crop in Spain in late 2003. ''Erwinia rhapontici'' has been identified as a plant pathogen that produces a distinct diffusible pink pigment on sucrose-peptone agar and creates pink seeds in the hosts. It is also found to be a wound pathogen. Wound pathogens are replicating microorganisms in a wound that can cause the host injury. It is possible that the bacterium can penetrate though young pea pods through wounds or injuries and infect seeds produced in the pod, causing deformed leaves.

Species

Species remaining in ''Erwinia'' are: * '' Erwinia amylovora'' (Fire blight) * '' Erwinia aphidicola'' * '' Erwinia billingiae'' * '' Erwinia endophytica'' * '' Erwinia gerundensis'' * '' Erwinia iniecta'' * '' Erwinia mallotivora'' * '' Erwinia oleae'' * '' Erwinia papayae'' * '' Erwinia persicina'' * '' Erwinia piriflorinigrans'' * ''

Erwinia psidii ''Erwinia psidii'' is a Gram-negative bacterium and a phytopathogen of the common guava (''Psidium guajava''), causing rot in branches, flowers and fruits. Recently, it was demonstrated that this species produces two acyl homoserine lactones (' ...

'' * ''

Erwinia pyrifoliae ''Erwinia pyrifoliae'' is a Gram-negative bacterium and a phytopathogen of Asian pear trees (''Pyrus pyrifolia ''Pyrus pyrifolia'' is a species of pear tree native to East Asia. The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including: As ...

'' * ''

Erwinia rhapontici ''Erwinia'' is a genus of Enterobacterales bacteria containing mostly plant pathogenic species which was named for the famous plant pathologist, Erwin Frink Smith. It contains Gram-negative bacteria related to ''Escherichia coli'', ''Shigella'', ...

'' * ''

Erwinia tasmaniensis ''Erwinia'' is a genus of Enterobacterales bacteria containing mostly plant pathogenic species which was named for the famous plant pathologist, Erwin Frink Smith. It contains Gram-negative bacteria related to ''Escherichia coli'', ''Shigella'', ...

'' * ''

Erwinia teleogrylli ''Erwinia'' is a genus of Enterobacterales bacteria containing mostly plant pathogenic species which was named for the famous plant pathologist, Erwin Frink Smith. It contains Gram-negative bacteria related to ''Escherichia coli'', ''Shigella'', ...

'' * '' Erwinia toletana'' * '' Erwinia tracheiphila'' * ''

Erwinia typographi ''Erwinia'' is a genus of Enterobacterales bacteria containing mostly plant pathogenic species which was named for the famous plant pathologist, Erwin Frink Smith. It contains Gram-negative bacteria related to ''Escherichia coli'', ''Shigella'' ...

'' * '' Erwinia uzenensis'' ''

Dickeya dadantii ''Dickeya dadantii'' is a gram-negative bacillus that belongs to the family Pectobacteriaceae. It was formerly known as ''Erwinia chrysanthemi'' but was reassigned as ''Dickeya dadantii'' in 2005. Members of this family are facultative anaerobe ...

'' was formerly classified as ''Erwinia chrysanthemi''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q134827 Bacterial plant pathogens and diseases Bacteria genera Enterobacterales