Table 2. Phenotypic characterization of 763 strains representing the genetic diversity in the P. syringae complex.

Phylogenetic affiliation	Number of strains	Levan +	Oxidase +	Potato soft rot	HR on tobacco+	Fluorescence on KB medium +	Aesculin degradation +	Sucrose utilization+	D(-) Tartrate utilization +	I NAb +	Broad host-range toxinc +	Pathogenicityd+	Avirulente	Mean sdisease severity ≥2.0f
Total	763	41	0	10	73	98	97	73	32	65	51	28	53	12
PG a 01	88	39	0	0	92	85	92	91	58	33	2	16	60	1
PG 01a	48	45	0	0	90	100	100	88	78	24	4	14	53	2
PG 01b	40	33	0	0	95	68	83	95	35	43	0	18	68	0
PG 02	323	50	0	0	72	100	100	95	10	85	90	43	41	25
PG 02a	3	0	0	0	100	100	100	100	33	67	67	33	33	0
PG 02b	140	67	0	0	98	100	99	95	4	90	87	44	30	19
PG 02c	91	7	0	0	7	100	100	93	9	68	96	0	89	0
PG 02d	87	70	0	0	100	100	100	98	20	93	91	89	6	62
PG 02e	2	0	0	0	50	100	100	100	0	100	100	0	100	0
PG 03	10	70	0	0	80	70	20	90	0	20	0	0	90	0
PG 04	6	83	0	0	100	100	100	100	0	100	17	0	67	0
PG 05	4	50	0	0	75	75	25	75	25	50	0	25	50	0
PG 07	81	46	0	98	62	100	100	9	96	33	0	47	37	11
PG 07a	79	46	0	97	61	100	100	9	96	33	0	48	37	11
PG 07b	2	50	0	100	100	100	100	0	100	50	0	0	50	0
PG 08	5	80	0	40	100	100	80	0	100	0	100	0	80	0
PG 09	28	11	0	0	68	100	100	14	32	4	0	0	71	0
PG 09a	23	9	0	0	65	100	100	13	26	4	0	0	70	0
PG 09b	4	25	0	0	75	100	100	25	50	0	0	0	75	0
PG 09c	1	0	0	0	100	100	100	0	100	0	0	0	100	0
PG 10	167	34	0	0	98	100	100	84	11	94	51	10	66	3
PG 10a	71	8	0	0	97	100	100	82	23	94	1	7	80	1
PG 10b	77	58	0	0	100	100	100	86	3	94	91	1	62	0
PG 10c	1	0	0	0	100	100	100	0	0	100	0	0	100	0
PG 10d	8	13	0	0	100	100	100	75	0	100	75	50	25	13
PG 10e	8	50	0	0	88	100	100	100	0	100	100	75	13	38
PG 10f	1	100	0	0	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	0	100	0
PG 10g	1	0	0	0	0	100	100	100	0	0	0	0	100	0
PG 11	3	0	100	0	67	100	100	0	33	0	100	67	33	0
PG 12	2	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	50	0	0	0	100	0
PG 12a	1	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	0	0	0	0	100	0
PG 12b	1	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	100	0	0	0	100	0
PG 13	46	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	100	0	0	0	78	0
PG 13a	44	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	100	0	0	0	77	0
PG 13b	2	0	0	0	0	100	100	0	100	0	0	0	100	0

Values are the percent of P. syringae strains giving positive reactions for the different phenotypes. Arginine dihydrolase production was negative for all strains.

^aPG =  P. syringae phylogroup.

^bINA = ice nucleation activity of at least 10⁶ cells at >−8°C.

^cProduction of a broad host range toxin was evaluated with the test habitually used to reveal syringomycin-like toxins based on the capacity to produce an inhibition zone of growth of Geotricum candidum.

^dStrains were considered to be pathogenic on the cantaloupe indicator plant if at least half (6/12) of the seedlings showed compatible reactions.

^eAvirulent strains did not induce any disease reaction on cantaloupe seedlings.

^fFrequency of strains for which the mean disease severity on cantaloupe seedlings was ≥2.0.