Introduction
Common bacterial blight is one of the most destructive common bean diseases worldwide. It is caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap). Common bean blight causes water-soaked lesions to appear on the leaves, these then dry and turn brown. The lesions eventually spread to the pods and seeds, making them unable to be sold. Common bean blight can decrease yield by as much as 40%. It is highly infectious and can be spread through infected seeds and plant material, splashing rain, overhead irrigation and animals. My question is “Are there DNA-based differences in Xap isolates from different geographical areas and different aggressivities of the isolates on infected bean plants?”