ABSTRACT
Plasmids capable of self replication are present in bacterial cells and they are extrachromosmal DNA that determines certain characteristics, including pathogenicity, resistance to chemicals and antibiotics, and tumor production. The plasmids may be exchanged between bacterial species/strains, resulting in variations in characteristics governed by plasmids. The bacterial pathogens have simple structure with different shapes like spherical, ellipsoidal, rod-shaped, spiral, filamentous or comma-shaped. Soilborne bacterial pathogens have been responsible for various diseases, affecting different crops resulting in significant quantitative and qualitative losses. Bacterial pathogens present in the soil, plants growing on infested soil and water in lakes/ponds and irrigation channels may be isolated on appropriate media that support the development of the target pathogens. Immunofluorescence colony-staining testing which combines bacterial colony growth and immunoassay, allows sensitive and quantitative detection of several phytopathogenic bacteria in complex backgrounds. The specificity of monoclonal antibodies generated against several bacterial pathogens has been screened initially using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests.
