Pantoea species (Pantoea spp.) is a diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae family that leads to devastating diseases in rice plants, thus affecting significant economic losses of rice production worldwide. Most critical rice diseases such as grain discoloration, bacterial leaf blight, stem necrosis and inhibition of seed germination have been reported to be caused by this pathogen. To date, 20 Pantoea spp. have been identified and recognized as having similar phenotypic and diverse characteristics. Detection via phenotypic and molecular-based approaches, for example the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex PCR give us a better understanding of the diversity of Pantoea genus and helps to improve effective disease control strategies against this emergent bacterial pathogen of rice. In this review, we focused on the significance of rice diseases caused by Pantoea spp. and insights on the taxonomy and characteristics of this destructive pathogen via phenotypic and molecular identification.