Soft rot diseases are those bacteria responsible for the maceration of plant tissues resulting in total tissue collapse (Gwyn 2007). Vegetable soft rot diseases are the most characteristic symptom of tissue maceration in plants that begins as a small water-soaked lesion, expands and intensifies until the tissue becomes soft and watery. Apparently, the outer surface of the diseased plant may remain intact, while tanned and depressed, or encased in a layer of exuded bacterial mucus. Bad odors are common due to the discharge of explosive complexes through tissue degradation. In these diseases the best bacterial growth follows after lysis of plant cells. Soft rot bacteria are distinguished by the speed with which they stimulate soft rot: the stored crop can turn into liquid in just a few hours. These pathogens usually enter through wounds or natural openings such as lenticels and persist in intercellular spaces and vascular tissues until environmental conditions become suitable for disease development. During this period, they exude massive amounts of pectic exoenzymes for maceration of parenchymatous tissues, these enzymes include cellulolytic enzymes, pectate lyase and pectin methylesterase which are responsible for total tissue destruction. Soft rot can be found throughout the world wherever there is ample storage tissue. There are vegetables and ornamental plants. Potatoes, carrots and onions are among the most affected vegetables together with tomatoes and cucumbers (Mir et al. 2010). Soft rot of fleshy vegetables and ornamental plants is caused by the Erwinia bacterium which has a wide host range. Secondary invaders called opportunistic pathogens can also similarly cause soft rot when conditions are favorable, including: Bacillus ...... middle of paper ......ses for their ability to infect and macerate tissue plants at any time, be it the field, transit, storage or marketing period. Due to the nature of today's world market, there are extremely high expectations from growers to provide ample supplies of high-quality, disease-free products with extended shelf lives (Garbutt 2000). Traditional methods for identifying these macergenes are extremely slow, more complex, and obsolete (Hawks 2005). Furthermore, resistance genes active against macergenes have been found in several host species, but their sequences and mechanisms remain unknown (Lebecka and Zimnoch 2005). Therefore, the means to quickly identify these bacteria is very essential. But understanding the taxonomy of these macergenes will go a long way in shedding light on their biology and, ultimately, better controlling them..