
%0 Journal Article
%A Teakle, DS 
%A Smith, PM 
%A Steindl, DRL 
%T Association of a small coryneform bacterium with the ratoon stunting disease of sugar-cane
%J Australian Journal of Agricultural Research
%D 1973/12/01
%V 24
%N 6
%P 869-874
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/AR9730869
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AR9730869 
%X When fibrovascular sap extracts of sugar-cane plants affected by the ratoon stunting disease (RSD) were centrifuged and the resuspended pellets negatively stained and examined in an electron microscope, cells of a small bacterium were always observed. The bacterium could be distinguished readily from other bacteria present by its small size (usually 1.0&ndash;2.5 &#181;m long by 0.15&ndash;0.32 &#181;m wide), the coryneform (club-shaped) morphology of some cells, and its permeability to negative stain revealing a thin cell wall surrounding a cytoplasmic membrane and coiled mesosomes. Since the small bacterium was never observed in fibrovascular extracts of RSD-free sugar-cane plants, it is a possible causal agent of RSD. 
