Virulence of R. solanacearum. Eight-week-old tobacco plants were inoculated with R. solanacearum OE1-1 (circles), RM (squares), and RM complemented with pabB (RM/pabB) (triangles) by root dip inoculation, stem inoculation, and leaf infiltration, and populations of bacteria were determined for the roots (A), stems (B), and infiltrated areas of the leaves (C), respectively. Each assay was repeated in five successive trials.