Pathogenicity and virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum species complex: Understanding its virulence mechanisms for proper management.

The soil-borne Gram-negative beta-proteobacterium Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) causes bacterial wilt, a devastating plant disease that threatens crop production and food security worldwide. In this review, we first summarize current knowledge of RSSC pathogenicity and virulence, focusing on the factors that determine its ability to infect and cause disease, including advances in resistance breeding and the genetic basis of host resistance to bacterial wilt. Next, we highlight the questions provided from the previous studies and describe our recent studies, which revealed that the phc QS network is a highly complex regulatory system that dominates global gene expression and finely tunes RSSC virulence throughout the infection process, from root epidermis invasion to colonization of xylem vessels. Finally, we identify key knowledge gaps and discuss future research directions and practical strategies for the effective management of bacterial wilt.