Inoculation and Virulence Assay for Bacterial Blight and Bacterial Leaf Streak of Rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) cause bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak in rice, respectively. Despite being very closely related, the pathogens colonize different tissues and cause distinct diseases. The diseases are economically important and also serve as model systems for studying plant-bacterial interactions. Here we describe protocols for Xoo and Xoc inoculation and disease scoring methods that are appropriate to their different modes of infection. These methods are routinely used to evaluate pathogen virulence or host responses under controlled environmental conditions.