The quantitative estimation of the infection of bean seed with Pseudomonas phaseolicola (Burkh.) Dowson

A routine laboratory method for the detection of Pseudomonas phaseolicola in bean seed is described. The method will detect low levels of seed-borne infection and has been used in a statistical procedure (the most probable number method) to give an estimate of percentage infection. Infection in seeds harvested from heavily infected crops varied from 10 to 1%, compared with from 1% to less than 0.1% in commercial seed stocks. A high proportion of infected seeds failed to produce infected plants and this may account for the very low levels of primary infection reported in the field. Removal of seeds showing possible ‘symptoms’ of disease reduced, but did not eliminate, infection from seed stocks.