The Type III Effector AvrBsT Enhances Xanthomonas perforans Fitness in Field-Grown Tomato

Type III secretion system effectors contribute to pathogenicity through various mechanisms. Recent surveys showed an increasing prevalence of the type III secretion effector avrBsT among Xanthomonas perforans strains. We hypothesized that the acquisition of avrBsT has a fitness advantage for the pathogen. The contribution of avrBsT to fitness on tomato was evaluated based on disease severity, in planta growth, competition, and recovery rates of wild-type (WT) and avrBsT mutant strains in greenhouse and field plants. GEV872 and GEV1001, representative strains of two phylogenomic groups of X. perforans, were selected for generating avrBsT mutants. Disease severity was higher for WT strains compared with the avrBsT mutant strains. X. perforans WT and avrBsT mutant strains did not differ following leaf infiltration of greenhouse plants in direct competition and in planta growth assays. The effect of avrBsT on pathogen fitness was noticeable under field conditions. Differences in strain recovery were significant, with WT being recovered two to eight times more than avrBsT mutant strains in the case of both strains GEV872 and GEV1001. WT strains were capable of spreading longer distances across field plots compared with avrBsT mutant strains. Findings suggest that the functional AvrBsT affects the fitness of X. perforans under field conditions, making it an ideal candidate for bacterial spot resistance breeding efforts in tomato.