Description as for the species and this pathovar is distinguished on the basis of phytopathogenic specialization. The pathovar is identified to species and distinguished from other pathovars by its gyrB gene sequence (Parkinson et al. 2009) and by genome-wide sequence analysis. According to Bradbury (1986), the natural host range includes Areca catechu (areca nut). Bradbury (1986) reports the artificial host range to include Cocos nucifera (coconut). Needle prick into sugar cane produced limited streaks, but the bacteria did multiply to some extent and could be reisolated. Disease: leaf stripe. Long, narrow water-soaked lesions, becoming dark brown or black with age. It is not known if the strains being transferred to this taxon conform to the species description for metabolic activity.

Pathotype strain: LMG 533 (= ICMP 5719 = NCPPB 2649 = PDDCC 5791).

Description is as presented by Vauterin et al. (1995). The pathovar is distinguished on the basis of phytopathogenic specialization. As shown here and elsewhere (Lang et al. 2017), the pathovar is distinct from other pathovars by MLSA and genome-wide sequence analysis. According to Bradbury (1986), gelatin and starch are hydrolyzed by most isolates examined. The natural host range includes: Panicum miliaceum, Sorghum spp., S. almum, S. bicolor (S. vulgare), S. caffrorum, S. durra, S. halepense, S. sudanense, S. technicum (S. bicolor var. technicus), and Zea mays. The artificial host range (by inoculation) includes Echinochloa frumentacea, Pennisetum typhoides, and Setaria italica.

Pathotype strain: CFBP 2543 (= ICMP 3103 = LMG 736 = NCPPB 2417 = PDDCC 3103).

Description as for the species and this pathovar is identified to species and distinguished on the basis of phytopathogenic specialization and is distinct from other pathovars by its gyrB gene sequence (Parkinson et al. 2009) and genome-wide sequence analysis. Gelatin slowly liquefied, starch not hydrolyzed. Growth quite rapid and very mucoid when cultured on yeast-peptone-sucrose agar based media for 48 h at 28°C. According to Bradbury (1986), the natural hosts include Ensete ventricosum (enset) and Musa spp. (banana). Additional hosts by inoculation: Saccharum sp. (sugarcane) and Zea mays (maize) and disease is exhibited as a bacterial wilt where leaves wilt and wither; yellowish bacterial masses are found in vascular tissue and parenchyma. It is not known if the strains being transferred to this taxon conform to the species description for metabolic activity.

Pathotype strain: NCPPB 2005 (= CFBP 7123 = DSM 24447 = ICMP 2870 = ICPB XM130 = PDDCC 2870).

Description as for the species and this pathovar is distinguished on the basis of phytopathogenic specialization and includes the strains of the former taxon X. campestris pv. vasculorum type B and pathogens from corn. The pathovar is identified to species and distinguished from other pathovars by its gyrB gene sequence (Parkinson et al. 2009) and genome-wide sequence analysis. It is not known whether the strains being transferred to this taxon conform to the species description for metabolic activity. According to previously published work (Aritua et al. 2007; Coutinho et al. 2015; Hayward 1962; Karamura et al. 2015), the natural host range includes Saccharum spp., Zea mays, and Eucalyptus grandis and does not cause symptoms on banana.

Pathotype strain: NCPPB 4614 (= CFBP 8549 = SAM119).

The characteristics are as described for the genus and the species (Vauterin et al. 1995) extended with phylogenetic data from this study. The species can be clearly distinguished from other xanthomonads by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and whole genome sequence analysis with members having more than 98% ANI with the type strain. SDS-PAGE protein and FAME profiles have been shown to be distinguishing for some pathovars (Aritua et al. 2007; Vauterin et al. 1992; Yang et al. 1993) by the presence of metabolic activity on the carbon substrates d-psicose and l-glutamic acid, and by a lack of metabolic activity on the carbon substrates N-acetyl-d-galactosamine, l-arabinose, a-d-lactose, d-melibiose, P-methyl-d-glucoside, l-rhamnose, d-sorbitol, formic add, d-galactonic acid lactone, d-galacturonic acid, d-gluconic acid, d-glucuronic acid, p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, a-ketovaleric acid, quinic acid, glucuronamide, l-asparagine, l-histidine, l-phenylalanine, urocanic acid, inosine, uridine, thymidine, dl-a-glycerol phosphate, glucose 1-phosphate, and glucose 6-phosphate. The G+C content is between 63.1 and 63.6 mol% as calculated from whole-genome sequence data.

The type strain is X. vasicola pv. holcicola LMG 736 (= CFBP 2543 = ICMP 3103 = NCPPB 2417).