The hrp gene cluster of strains of Xanthomonas campestris that cause diseases of citrus was examined by Southern hybridization of genomic DNA and by restriction endonuclease analysis of enzymatically amplified DNA fragments of the hrp gene cluster. The hrp genes were present in all strains of the pathovars of X. campestris tested in this study, including strains of the three aggressiveness groups of the citrus bacterial spot pathogen, X. campestris pv. citrumelo. X. campestris pv. citri strains in groups A, B, and C, which cause citrus canker A, B, and C, respectively, each produced characteristic restriction banding patterns of amplified hrp fragments. The restriction banding patterns of all strains within each group were identical. In contrast, restriction fragment length polymorphism was evident among strains of the moderately and weakly aggressive groups of X. campestris pv. citrumelo. X. campestris pv. citrumelo strains in the highly aggressive group had a homogeneous restriction banding pattern. The characteristic banding patterns obtained for each bacterial group indicate that X. campestris strains causing disease in citrus can be reliably differentiated and identified by restriction analysis of amplified DNA fragments of the hrp gene cluster. In addition, the phylogenetic analysis based on the restriction banding patterns of amplified fragments suggests a polyphyletic relationship of the hrp genes among the strains of X. campestris that cause disease in citrus.