Résumé
In the French West Indies (FWI), endemic bacterial wilt caused by lowland tropical strains of Ralstonia solanacearum is known to be a devastating disease to major solanaceous food and cash-crops like potato, tomato, eggplant and pepper (Prior & Steva, 1990). Since 1999, hybrid and local anthurium (Anthurium sp.) productions which have developed in the wetter and elevated areas of Martinique (Centre-North Atlantic) were dramatically affected by an unknown bacterial disease. The disease was not bacterial spot (Acidovorax anthurii) nor bacterial blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiae), but bacterial wilt due to novel and unexpected strains of R. solanacearum. Late in 2001 R. solanacearum was isolated for the first time from wilted native heliconia (Heliconia caribaea, Strelitziaceae) established in the same area. Simultaneously, massive wilt damage due to bacterial wilt was also noted for the first time on cantaloupe (Cucumis melo), zucchini (Cucurbita pepo), pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus). These outbreaks were caused by the same new pathotypes of R. solanacearum. (Résumé d'auteur)