Literature review

 

Pectobacterium carotovorum is a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae and is a Gram-negative bacterium. As Pectobacterium carotovorum is famously known for its detrimental effects on causing bacteria soft rot to the fleshy storage part of a plant, it is widely researched by scientists all around the globe. Pectobacterium carotovorum  is a plant pathogen with a diverse host range, including many agriculturally and scientifically important plant species like cabbages, carrots, potatoes and even tomatoes as well. (Ian K.Toth, Bell, Birch, 2002). 

 

Pectobacterium carotovorum can cause severe bacterial soft rot, leading to seriouscases like rapid tuber tissue maceration in potatoes (Chung, Goeser,  Cai & Jansky, 2013) and even beef vascular necrosis in common vegetables (Toth et al., 2002). In a serious case, photographs of potato backleg caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum were reported. (Leite,Haan, Krijger, Kastelein,van der Zouwen, van den Bovenkamp, Tebaldi & van der Wolf, 2014) It was estimated that in 2012, Pectobacterium carotovorum was responsible for 10% of blackleg incidence too. (Leite et al., 2014) Surprisingly, bacterial soft rot causes the greatest loss of produce compared to other bacterial disease known as well. (Bhat,Masood,Razvi,Mir, Akhtar, Wani & Habib, 2010) However, Not only does this severity cause damage to the agricultural system around the world in post-harvest losses, but it also causes adverse effects to the economy due to a reduction in availability of produce for sale.

 

Pectobacterium carotovorum depends on the aid of special enzymes to turn the fleshy storage of a plant into a watery and mushy substance for the consumption of the plant nutrients and can even emit a foul odor or even turn the entire crop black in the process. (Agrios, George, 2005)  Controls of this disease has not proven to be very effective in recent years, although sanitary practices, storing and processing are evident in slowing the spread of the infection, (Agrios et al, 2005) which further substantiates the need for more inhibition methods of bacterial soft rot.

 

However, nowadays, although universal methods of using chemical pesticides to inhibit bacterial soft rot and prevent post-harvest losses have already been developed, they have proven to be less cost-effective as they usually have exorbitant price tags. In addition to these financial factors, using chemical pesticides result in hazards to terrestrial and aquatic lives due to their residual toxicity (Rahman,Khan, Ali, Mian, Akanda, & Hamid, 2012). Pesticides washed down of the plants by rain flow to other parts on land and might even end up in river channels or lakes, resulting in health hazards to nearby organisms affected. Therefore, increasing needs for other more environmentally friendly and cost-effective methods to control bacterial soft rot have definitely surfaced. 

 

In a nutshell, as cost-saving and environmentally friendly methods for the prevention of bacterial soft rot are not prevalent,tannic acid and green tea could act as a possible inhibitor for the spread of a bacterial soft rot causing bacteria, Pectobacterium carotovorum. As Pectobacterium carotovorum is a gram-negative bacterium, tannic acid and green tea have a huge impact.  Using methods like spraying, injection or even potentially adding it to the soil, tannic acid and green tea can be a tip-top and accessible way to save the environment, money and possibly even the agricultural industry from the horrors of bacterial soft rot.