Occurrence of horse chestnut bleeding canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi in the Czech Republic

Summary Between 2008 and 2010, horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) trees growing at 216 locations in the Czech Republic were surveyed for bleeding canker disease. Typical symptoms of bleeding canker were found at 16 locations, and samples were collected from five of these locations. The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae was isolated from five locations, and Pseudomonas syringae pathovar aesculi, which is the causal agent of bleeding canker disease, was isolated at one location. This is the first report of P. syringae pv. aesculi in the Czech Republic.