Abstract            Volume:14  Issue-5  Year-2026         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Citrus canker is one of the most serious bacterial diseases affecting citrus crops and causes significant economic losses in many citrus-growing regions. The present study was conducted to identify the bacterial pathogen associated with citrus canker symptoms observed in sweet lime (Citrus limetta) cultivated in Beed district, Maharashtra, India. A total of 20 diseased leaf samples showing typical canker lesions were collected from different agricultural fields. The bacterial pathogen was isolated on nutrient agar medium under aseptic conditions and purified through repeated subculturing. Molecular identification of the bacterial isolate was carried out using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from pure bacterial culture and amplified using universal bacterial primers 27F and 1492R through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified PCR product was sequenced by Sanger sequencing method. Sequence analysis using NCBI BLAST revealed high similarity with Xanthomonas citri. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed the close relationship of the isolate with previously reported Xanthomonas citri strains available in the GenBank database. The findings of the present investigation confirmed the association of Xanthomonas citri with citrus canker disease in sweet lime cultivated in Beed district. The study highlights the importance of molecular techniques for accurate identification and phylogenetic characterization of plant pathogenic bacteria.

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