Preface. Section 1: Symposia. Towards the Next Millennium: Challenges and Prospects with Plant Associated Bacteria; A.K. Vidaver. Control of Bacterial Diseases Through Pathogen Freedom of Planting Material; J.D. Janse. Future Development of Chemical and Biological Controls for Bacterial Diseases of Plants; T.J. Burr. Classical and Engineered Breeding for Resistance to Bacterial Plant Diseases; J.P. Paulin, M.N. Brisset. Classification, Naming, and Plant Pathogenic Bacteria-What is to be done? J.M. Young. Taxonomy of Phytopathogenic Pseudomonads; L. Gardan, R. Christen. The `Candidatus Phytoplasma' Concept: New Names But Not Yet a Taxonomy for the Fastidious Plant Pathogenic Mollicutes; G. Firrao. Type III Secretion in Root-Colonising Pseudomonas; G.M. Preston, et al. The Role of AvrXa7 and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in Resistance and Disease; F.F. White, et al. Molecular Approaches for Elucidating the in situ Activities of Bacterial Biological Control Agents; J.E. Loper, et al. Endophytic Bacteria and Biocontrol of Plant Diseases; S. Alstrom, J.W.L. Van Vuurde. Environmental Applications of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria of the Genus Azospirillum; Y. Bashan, et al. 10 Additional Chapters. Section 2: Taxonomy and Diversity. Molecular Differentiation of Erwinia amylovora Strains from Europe and the Mediterranean Region; S. Jock, et al. Genetic Diversity of Selected Bacterial Populations in North Carolina; F.J. Louws, et al. Genetic Diversity of Pseudomonas syringae Pathovars and Related Species Assessed by DNA Heteroduplex Mobility Assay; L. Sutra, et al. Two Xanthomonad Pathogens, One from Acer glabrum and One from Sambucus nigra; S.K. Mohan, V.P. Bijman. Genetic Diversity of Xylella fastidiosa Associated with Citrus Variegated Chlorosis in Brazil; R.P. Leite Jr., et al. Usefulness of IS1595 as a Molecular Tool for Epidemiological Typing of the Xanthomonas Pathovar mangiferaeindicae, Casual Agent of Mango Bacterial Black Spot; A. Pruvost, et al. Phylogenetic Analysis of the pPT23A Plasmid Family of Pseudomonas syringae; G.W. Sundin, et al. Phylogenetic Analysis of Xanthomonas Strains Based on the Nucleotide Sequences of 16S-23S rRNA Spacer Region, 23S rRNA and gyrB Genes; A. Ochiai, et al. Genetic Diversity of Xanthomonas sp. pv. passiflorae Causing the Bacterial Spot on Passion Fruit in Brazil; L.P.C. Caramori, et al. Six New Species are Delineated Within Erwinia chrysanthemi; R. Samson, et al. 2 Additional Chapters. Section 3: Pathogenicity and Virulence Factors. Metabolic Colonisation: the Fate of a Leafy Gall; D. Vereecke, et al. Extracellular Enzymes Produced by Leifsonia (Clavibacter) xyli subsp. cynodontis; M. Haapalainen, et al. Membrane Vesicle Mediated Transport of Virulence-Factors and of Elicitors for Defense-Response; I. Schroder, et al. Agrobacterium tumefaciens Chromosomal Genes Requires for Virulence and Attachment to Host Cells; A.G. Matthysse, et al. Biotic and Abiotic Elicitation of Apple Defenses Against Fire Blight; M.N. Brisset, et al. 3 Additional Chapters. Section 4: Genetics of Pathogenicity. The hrp genes of Pantoea stewartii are Regulated by a Complex System that Senses Environmental Signals; M. Merighi, et al. The Hrp Protein Secretion System is not Required for Coronatine Biosynthesis in Pseudomonas syringae pv