First Report of Pantoea sp. Causing Bacterial Leaf and Panicle Blight of Rice in Louisiana, USA

To our knowledge, this is the first report of Pantoea sp. causing bacterial blight symptoms on the rice leaves and panicles in Louisiana, USA. Since Pantoea ananatis is a globally emerging pathogen causing BPB symptoms in rice it is crucial to monitor the occurrence of this pathogen in other rice-growing areas as a potential threat in US rice production.