Toxicity and biochemical action of amicarthiazol on citrus canker pathogen, Xanthomonas citri ex Hasse

Inhibitory effects of amicarthiazol, in vitro, against the growth of seven plant bacterial pathogens and its biochemical actions on Xanthomonas citri were investigated. The growth of Erwinia carotovora, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Pseudomonas syringe pv. syringae was not sensitive to amicarthiazol whilst Xanthomonads were all strongly inhibited in NB liquid medium; EC50 of X. citri was 2.63 μg ml−1 and the effectiveness of amicarthiazol depended on the timing of application. The inhibitions on the secretion of gross EPS and gross EPR as well as the activities of amylase, cellulase, and pectase of X. citri were increased with the concentrations of amicarthiazol, whereas the conductivities of the extracellular product suspensions and the protease activity were somewhat accelerated by the concentration less than 10 or 20 μg ml−1 and inhibited only at higher concentration. EPS which was purified from X. citri showed obvious antagonistic effects on the inhibition of amicarthiazol, but not on the inhibition of Cu(OH)2. The endogenous respirations and the activity of succinic dehydrogenase of X. citri were also inhibited and the inhibitions were increased with the toxic concentrations. Furthermore, the potential induced physiological adaptability of X. citri to amicarthiazol and the comparison with Cu(OH)2 and carboxin were also discussed.