ABSTRACT
The surrounding environment affects the growth and metabolism of bacteria and is therefore directly related to induction or suppression of disease initiation and symptoms development by the bacterial plant pathogen. Bacteria are different from higher plants and animals in the lack of homeostatic mechanism and cannot regulate heat generated by metabolism and are, therefore, directly and readily affected by temperature. The range of temperature preferred by bacteria is genetically determined, which govern the metabolic process in bacterial cells. Plant pathogenic bacteria, like all other bacteria, require certain temperature for growth. Thermal death point is an important aspect to be considered in the management of plant pathogenic bacteria. The time taken by the bacteria at a given temperature to cause its death is known as thermal death time (TDT). The determination of TDT, that is, the length of time that the bacteria is exposed to heat, contributes to the lethal effect.
