Black rot, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, is considered the most serious disease of crucifer crops worldwide. This disease is also known as blight, black stem, black vein, stem rot, and stump rot. All crucifer crops are susceptible to black rot; radish and kale, however, are less easily infected. Plants that are not in the crucifer family are not susceptible. Yield can be affected in several ways: infected plants may die prematurely, heads may remain small, and quality may be reduced because of symptoms on the marketable part of the plant. Removing symptomatic leaves increases production costs. Soft rot may develop after black rot, further reducing quality and storage life.