Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae is a quarantine bacterium affecting all the Portuguese main areas of kiwifruit production. We report the draft genome of six P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains isolated from symptomatic leaves of Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa in a study that determined the genetic population structure of the endophytic and epiphytic populations in two consecutive seasons. Average nucleotide identity values were above 99% similarity with reference strains from P. syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3. The genomic differences found between these strains confirm the genetic diversity described for P. syringae pv. actinidiae population in Portugal. Furthermore, data provide evidence that the initial clonal expansion of P. syringae pv. actinidiae in Europe was followed by a genomic diversification constituting a valuable resource for epidemiological and evolutionary studies, namely when adopting strategies for epidemics management.
Keywords: Actinidia chinensis; Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae; bacteriology; disease control and pest management; draft genome; ecology and epidemiology; genetics and resistance; kiwi diseases.