Bacterial stem rot was found to cause severe losses of tomato in the Tsushan area, Nantou County, central Taiwan during 2001. The disease mainly affected stems of plants, which showed symptoms of being water-soaked and then turned dark brown. The slimy tissues resulted in hollow stems, and eventually the entire plant wilted. Masses of bacterial cells released from diseased tissues were observed under light microscopy. Strains of bacterium have consistently been isolated from diseased tissues. Based on physiological, biochemical, and pathogenicity tests, the Biolog identification system, and the polymerase chain reaction, the causal agent of this disease was identified as Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.