First report of bacterial leaf spot on Chenopodium quinoa caused by Pseudomonas syringae in Colombia

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) has become a food of great importance in the last decade, and it is considered by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the grain of the twenty-first century. This plant is considered as a pseudo-cereal with high protein content and digestibility, as well as balanced content of essential amino acids, therefore having multiple beneficial properties for patients with obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes. Even though this plant can grow under different abiotic and extreme biotic conditions, its production can be affected by diverse pathogens. Here, we show the pathogenicity of Pseudomonas syringae, a Gram-negative bacillus, by isolating pathogenic strains of P. syringae from leaves of C. quinoa cv. piartial with induced necrotic spots at 2-5 days post-inoculation. The bacteria was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) using a Bruker Daltonik MALDI Biotyper system. Our results constitute the first report in Colombia of the pathogenic P. siryngae in quinoa.

Automated summary

Quinoa, considered the grain of the twenty-first century, is high in protein and beneficial for patients with obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. However, its production can be affected by pathogens such as Pseudomonas syringae, as shown in this study from Colombia.