First Report on ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ (16SrI-B subgroup) Strain Associated with Pineapple Shoot Proliferation and Witches’ Broom Symptoms in Tripura, India

During a survey conducted in October 1999 to establish the sanitary status of stone fruits in Lebanon, almond trees with symptoms of leaf yellowing, shoot proliferation, and dieback were observed in the Bekaa region. Because such symptoms are often associated with phytoplasma infections, samples were collected for analysis by PCR using universal primers for amplification of phytoplasma ribosomal RNA genes (2). DNA was extracted from the leaf midveins and/or bark phloem tissue from nine symptomatic trees and one symptomless tree in four different orchards as well as from healthy almond trees collected in France. PCR resulted in amplification of an expected 1.8 kbp rDNA fragment from all symptomatic samples but not from the healthy or symptomless samples. For characterization, the amplified DNA was analyzed by RFLP. Even though the restriction profiles were different from those published for other phytoplasmas and in particular from those infecting almond trees in Western Europe (1), sequence analysis of the amplified DNA revealed that it belongs to the pigeon pea witches' broom cluster (PPWB) (2). This is the first report of a phytoplasma infection in Lebanon and the first report for a PPWB group phytoplasma in almond trees. References: (1) W. Jarausch et al. J. Plant Pathol. 104:17–27, 1998. (2) B. Schneider et al. 1995. Molecular and diagnostic procedures in Mycoplasmology Vol. 1, 369–380, S. Razin and J. G. Tully, eds.

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First report of shoot proliferation of bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) in Poland, associated with phytoplasma infection

Plant Pathology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-3059.2004.01086.x ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 801-801 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Kaminska ◽

H. Sliwa ◽

A. Rudzinska-Langwald

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

First Report ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Dicentra Spectabilis

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First report of a phytoplasma associated with an axillary shoot proliferation disease in papaya in India

New Disease Reports ◽

10.5197/j.2044-0588.2012.025.018 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 18 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

R. Verma ◽

D. Mungekar ◽

P. Gaikwad ◽

S.P.S Tomer ◽

V.V. Datar

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

Axillary Shoot ◽

Axillary Shoot Proliferation ◽

First Report ◽

Proliferation Disease

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First Report of a Phytoplasma Associated with Witches'-Broom of the Giant Coral Tree (Erythrina poeppigiana, Fabaceae) in Costa Rica

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-91-11-1512a ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 91 (11) ◽

pp. 1512-1512 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. Saborío-R. ◽

W. Villalobos ◽

C. Rivera

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Fungal Infections ◽

Shoot Proliferation ◽

San Jose ◽

Erythrina Poeppigiana ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

First Report ◽

Plant Extraction ◽

Two Samples ◽

Coral Tree

The giant coral tree (Erythrina poeppigiana, Fabaceae) is a common shade tree in coffee plantations in Costa Rica. Coral trees are pruned to decrease fungal infections and increase nitrogen fixation. Recently, severe shoot proliferation, internodes shortening, and leaf reduction were observed in pruned shade trees in the south of San José Province, Costa Rica. Leaf samples from 10 symptomatic E. poeppigiana trees were collected. Also, two samples from symptomless coral trees were collected from areas free of witches'-broom. Total DNA was extracted from 0.5 g of petiole tissue from all samples with the plant extraction mini kit (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany) with a modified protocol (2) and assayed by nested PCR with phytoplasma universal rDNA primers (P1/P7) (1) and R16F2n/R16R2 (3). All symptomatic trees tested positive for phytoplasmas by PCR, yielding the expected 1.2-kb band. DNA from the symptomless trees was not amplified by PCR. The restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses (HaeIII, AluI, RsaI, BfaI, HpaII, KpnI, HhaI, and MseI) and the sequence of the 1.2-kb PCR fragment (GenBank Accession No. DQ485305) revealed that the phytoplasma associated with coral tree witches'-broom belongs to the aster yellows phytoplasma group (16SrI) (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a phytoplasma belonging to the aster yellow group causing witches'-broom in the Erythrina genus. References: (1) S. Deng and C. Hiruki. J. Microbiol. Methods 14:53, 1991. (2) M. J. Green et al. Plant Dis. 83:482, 1999. (3) D. E. Gundersen and I. M. Lee. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 35:144, 1996. (4) I. M Lee et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol.48:1153, 1998.

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First Report of a 16SrII Group Phytoplasma Associated with Shoot Proliferation of a Cactus (Opuntia monacantha) in Lebanon

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pd-89-1129b ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 89 (10) ◽

pp. 1129-1129 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E. Choueiri ◽

R. Massad ◽

F. Jreijiri ◽

J. L. Danet ◽

P. Salar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

Diagnostic Procedures ◽

Academic Press ◽

High Similarity ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

First Report ◽

Shoot Tissue ◽

Digestion Pattern ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Polymerase Chain

In October 2003, during a survey to evaluate the incidence of phytoplasma diseases in Lebanon, symptoms suggestive of phytoplasma infection in Opuntia monacantha (Haworth) were observed in Saghbine, Bekaa Valley. Symptoms were excessive stem and shoot proliferation. Three symptomatic and as well as symptomless plants were collected and analyzed for the presence of phytoplasmas. Nucleic acids were extracted from 0.5 g of shoot tissue and tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with universal phytoplasma primers (fU5rU3) for partial amplification of the ribosomal 16SrDNA (4). PCR resulted in amplification of an expected 881-bp rDNA fragment from the symptomatic but not from symptomless samples. For characterization, sequence of the amplified DNA was determined (Genbank Accession No. AY939815). The sequence showed a high similarity with several isolates of the 16srII group of phytoplasmas. The highest similarity has been oserved with 16S rDNA of two isolates of cactus witches'-broom phytoplasma found in China (1) and Mexico (3) (Genbank Accession Nos. AJ293216 and AF320575, respectively) (99.8%) as well as faba bean phyllody phytoplasma (Genbank Accession No. X83432) (99.7%) and “Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia” (Genbank Accession No. U15442) (99.3%). The presence of phytoplasmas was confirmed using nested-PCR with primers R16mF2/R1 and R16F2n/R2 (2). The Tru9I digestion pattern of the amplified product R16F2n/F16R2 detected in O. monacantha was identical to the digestion pattern obtained from periwinkle infected by “Ca. P. aurantifolia” (subgroup 16SrII-B) and soybean phyllody phytoplasma (subgroup 16SrII-C), but different from the Tru9I digestion pattern observed for cleome phyllody phytoplasma (subgroup 16SrII-A) and tomato big bud phytoplasma (subgroup 16SrII-E). To our knowledge, this is the first report of an infection with a phytoplasma belonging to16SrII group in Lebanon. References: (1) H. Cai et al. Plant Pathol. 51:394, 2002. (2) D. E. Gundersen and I. M. Lee. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 35:144, 1996. (3) N. E. Leyva-Lopez et al. Phytopathology. (Abstr.) 89(suppl):S45, 1999. (4) B. Schneider et al. Pages 369–380 in: Molecular and Diagnostic Procedures in Mycoplasmology. Academic Press, NY, 1995.

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First Report of Phytoplasmas Groups 16SrI and 16SrXV in Crotalaria juncea in Brazil

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-11-13-1190-pdn ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 98 (7) ◽

pp. 990-990 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

L. F. Bianco ◽

E. C. Martins ◽

R. S. Toloy ◽

D. A. B. Coletti ◽

D. C. Teixeira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

Rflp Analysis ◽

New Host ◽

Crotalaria Juncea ◽

First Report ◽

Tropical Plant ◽

Leaf Yellowing ◽

Pcr Products ◽

Sunn Hemp ◽

Low Incidence

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L., Fabaceae) is widely used as a cover crop in sugar cane and citrus plantations in Brazil. C. juncea has been reported in São Paulo State (SPS) by Wulff et al. (3) as a host of the phytoplasma associated with symptoms of huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus, a member of group 16SrIX, that induces witches'-broom in sunn hemp (3). In studying the distribution of group 16SrIX phytoplasma in C. juncea in SPS, we identified this species as a new host of two phytoplasmas. Sunn hemp fields were inspected for symptoms usually associated with phytoplasma infections, such as leaf yellowing, shoot proliferation, witches'-brooms, and virescence. Ninety-nine plant samples were collected and DNA was extracted with the CTAB protocol from stems. Nested PCR was carried out with primers P1/P7, followed by amplification with primers fU3/rU5 (2), both sets being universal for phytoplasma. Asymptomatic sunn hemp samples were used as negative controls and were negative in PCR reactions. PCR products were directly sequenced with primers P1/P7 and fU3/rU5 and phytoplasma identification was conducted with BLASTn and in silico RFLP analysis for delineation of subgroups (4). Plants showing leaf yellowing (three plants; Catanduva County), shoot proliferation (one plant; Ibirá County), or witches'-brooms (one plant; Promissão County) symptoms were found to be infected with the 16SrI phytoplasma group, subgroup S. The 16S rDNA sequence (GenBank Accession No. KF878383) showed 99% identity (E value 0.0) with Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris, Onion yellows phytoplasma OY-M (AP006628), Mulberry yellow dwarf phytoplasma (GQ249410), and Ash witches'-broom phytoplasma (AY566302), among other phytoplasmas from the same group. Sunn hemp plants with shoot proliferation (three plants) carried the 16SrXV phytoplasma group, subgroup A, found in Ibirá (two plants) and Catanduva (one plant) counties, SPS. This sequence (GenBank Accession No. KF878382) displayed 99% identity (E value 0.0) with Ca. P. brasiliense, Hibiscus witches'-broom phytoplasma (AF147708), Guazuma ulmifolia witches'-broom phytoplasma (HQ258882, HQ258883), and Cauliflower stunt phytoplasma (JN818845). Both phytoplasma groups described in this report, 16SrI and 16SrXV, were collected in May 2010 and both have limited geographic distribution and occurred at low incidence. Phytoplasma of group 16SrI (Ca. P. asteris) was identified in C. spectabilis in India (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of phytoplasmas groups 16SrI and 16SrXV in sunn hemp. References: (1) S. Kumar et al. Plant Dis. 94:1265, 2010. (2) E. Seemüller et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 44:440, 1994. (3) N. A. Wulff et al. Tropical Plant Pathol. 34:S7, 2009. (4) Y. Zhao et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59:2582, 2009.

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A fossil Aspergillus from Eocene Dominican amber

Journal of Paleontology ◽

10.1017/s0022336000058996 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 62 (01) ◽

pp. 141-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Gerard M. Thomas ◽

George O. Poinar

Keyword(s):

Dominican Republic ◽

Fossil Species ◽

First Report ◽

Dominican Amber ◽

Eocene Amber

A sporulating Aspergillus is described from a piece of Eocene amber originating from the Dominican Republic. The Aspergillus most closely resembles a form of the white spored phase of Aspergillus janus Raper and Thom. This is the first report of a fossil species of Aspergillus.

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