Bacterial fruit blotch(BFB) of cucurbits caused by Acidovorax citrulli(Acc) continues to diminish fruit yields. The aim of this study was to address whether two genetically distinct populations of Acc are present in watermelon-growing fields in Korea. For this purpose, we used the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction(ERIC-PCR) profiling and substrate-utilization profiles. According to the results of ERIC-PCR, group I and II strains showed clearly differentiated PCR-based fingerprinting profiles. Differences between group I and II strains included amplification of unique, group-specific DNA fragments such as the 1.3-, 0.28-, and 0.25-kb fragments in ERIC-PCR. Acc stains belonging to group I did not use L-leucine, whereas group II strains did use the substrate. Our results support the genetic differentiation of Acc strains into two groups and demonstrate that Acc strains from both groups are previously existed in watermelon-growing fields in Korea. Information about the genetic diversity of Acc under the present study will help scientists and managers form strategies to control BFB.

Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results and Discussion
Acknowledgment
References

• Okhee Choi(Institute of Agriculture & Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Su Kyung Cho(Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Byeongsam Kang(Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Jaeyeong Cho(Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Jiyeong Park(Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Yeyeong Lee(Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Jinwoo Kim(Institute of Agriculture & Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University) Corresponding author