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

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 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 on Effect of TDZ On In Vitro Shoot Proliferation in Gerbera

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3580007 ◽

2001 ◽

Author(s):

Deepu Mathew

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

First Report ◽

In Vitro Shoot Proliferation

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First Report of a Group 16SrII Phytoplasma Associated with Witches'-Broom of Eggplant in Oman

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-10-10-0761 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 95 (3) ◽

pp. 360-360 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

A. M. Al-Subhi ◽

N. A. Al-Saady ◽

A. J. Khan ◽

M. L. Deadman

Keyword(s):

Nested Pcr ◽

Solanum Melongena ◽

Positive Control ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Direct Pcr ◽

First Report ◽

Pcr Product ◽

Pcr Products ◽

Broom Disease ◽

Phytoplasma Infection

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) belongs to the family Solanaceae and is an important vegetable cash crop grown in most parts of Oman. In February 2010, plants showing phyllody symptoms and proliferation of shoots resembling those caused by phytoplasma infection were observed at Khasab, 500 km north of Muscat. Total genomic DNA was extracted from healthy and two symptomatic plants with a modified (CTAB) buffer method (2) and analyzed by direct and nested PCR with universal phytoplasma 16S rDNA primers P1/P7 and R16F2n/ R16R2, respectively. PCR amplifications from all infected plants yielded an expected product of 1.8 kb with P1/P7 primers and a 1.2-kb fragment with nested PCR, while no products were evident with DNA from healthy plants. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles of the 1.2-kb nested PCR products of two eggplant phyllody phytoplasma and five phytoplasma control strains belonging to different groups used as positive control were generated with the restriction endonucleases RsaI, AluI, Tru9I, T-HB8I, and HpaII. The eggplant phytoplasma DNA yielded patterns similar to alfalfa witches'-broom phytoplasma (GenBank Accession No. AF438413) belonging to subgroup 16SrII-D, which has been recorded in Oman (1). The DNA sequence of the 1.8-kb direct PCR product was deposited in GenBank (Accession No. HQ423156). Sequence homology results using BLAST revealed that the eggplant phyllody phytoplasma shared >99% sequence identity with Scaevola witches'-broom phytoplasma (Accession No. AB257291.1), eggplant phyllody phytoplasma (Accession No. FN257482.1), and alfalfa witches'-broom phytoplasma (Accession No. AY169323). The RFLP and BLAST results of 16S rRNA gene sequences confirm that eggplant phyllody phytoplasma is similar to the alfalfa phytoplasma belonging to subgroup 16SrII-D. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a phytoplasma of the 16SrII-D group causing witches'-broom disease on eggplant in Oman. References: (1) A. J. Khan et al. Phytopathology 92:1038, 2002. (2) M. A. Saghai-Maroof et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:8014, 1984.

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

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-05-19-0900-pdn ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 103 (11) ◽

pp. 2941-2941 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Surabhi Mitra ◽

Prasenjit Debnath ◽

Amar Bahadur ◽

Sukhen Chandra Das ◽

Amit Yadav ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shoot Proliferation ◽

First Report

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First Report of Clover Proliferation Phytoplasma in Strawberry

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.1999.83.10.967c ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 83 (10) ◽

pp. 967-967 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. Jomantiene ◽

J. L. Maas ◽

E. L. Dally ◽

R. E. Davis ◽

J. D. Postman

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Universal Primer ◽

Disease Symptoms ◽

First Report ◽

Chain Reactions ◽

Polymerase Chain Reactions ◽

Fragaria Virginiana ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Group 2

In 1996, diseased plants of Fragaria virginiana Duchesne were collected from a native population in Quebec, Canada, and sent to the National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, OR, where grafting onto disease-free plants of F. chiloensis (L.) Duchesne (4) was performed. Plants of both species were sent to Beltsville, MD, for identification of a phytoplasma possibly associated with the disease symptoms of dwarfing and multibranching crowns. A phytoplasma was found in both species and characterized as the strawberry “multicipita” (SM) phytoplasma, which is representative of subgroup 16SrVI-B, a new subgroup of the clover proliferation (CP) group (2). In 1999, we observed commercial strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) plants collected in California and Maryland that were stunted and chlorotic or exhibited these symptoms in addition to small, distorted leaves. Infected F. × ananassa plants, as well as diseased F. virginiana and grafted F. chiloensis plants previously infected by the SM phytoplasma, were assessed for phytoplasma infection by nested polymerase chain reactions primed by phytoplasma universal primer pairs R16mF2/R1 and F2n/R2 (1) or P1/P7 (3) and F2n/R2 for amplification of phytoplasma 16S rDNA (16S rRNA gene) sequences. Phytoplasma-characteristic 1.2-kbp DNA sequences were amplified from all diseased plants. No DNA sequences were amplified from healthy plants. Restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of rDNA digested with AluI, KpnI, HhaI, HaeIII, HinfI, HpaII, MseI, RsaI, and Sau3A1 endonucleases indicated that all plants were infected by a phytoplasma that belonged to subgroup 16SrVI-A (CP phytoplasma subgroup) and that diseased F. virginiana and grafted F. chiloensis plants were infected by both SM and CP. This is the first report of the CP phytoplasma, subgroup 16SrVI-A, infecting strawberry. This report also indicates that the occurrence of the CP phytoplasma in strawberry may be widespread in North America and that F. chiloensis, F. virginiana, and F. × ananassa plants are susceptible to infection by the CP phytoplasma. References: (1) D. E. Gunderson and I.-M. Lee. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 35:144, 1996. (2) R. Jomantiene et al. HortScience 33:1069, 1998. (3) R. Jomantiene et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 48:269, 1998. (4) J. D. Postman et al. Acta Hortic. 471:25, 1998.

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First Report of Stolbur Phytoplasma Infection in Commercial Freesia hybrida Cultivars

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-07-12-0677-pdn ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 96 (12) ◽

pp. 1820-1820

Author(s):

B. N. Chung ◽

Y. J. Choi ◽

K. H. Choi ◽

Y. S. Do ◽

S. Y. Lee

Keyword(s):

16S Rdna ◽

Flower Color ◽

High Nucleotide Sequence Identity ◽

Thin Sections ◽

First Report ◽

Freesia Hybrida ◽

Pcr Products ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Whole Plants ◽

Stolbur Phytoplasma

In January 2012, disease symptoms including chlorosis, leaf crinkle, leaf curving and stunting of whole plants, virescence, and curving and necrosis of flower stalks were observed in Freesia hybrida cvs. Evone, Honey Moon, Golden Gem, and Pallas in Icheon and Suwon (Gyeonggi Province in Korea). To determine a possible phytoplasma infection, the symptomatic freesia plants were examined for the presence of phytoplasma 16S rDNA fragment by PCR with the primer pair P1/P6 (2) and R16F1/R16R1 (in nested PCR), which amplifies phytoplasma 16S rDNA regions (4). An expected PCR product of ~1,096 bp was obtained from the symptomatic freesia plants, and they were designated as FreLN, Fre-phy-Ev4, Fre-phy-Ev6, Fre-phy-GG, Fre-phy-HM, and Fre-phy-Pal. The PCR products were sequenced and registered as GenkBank accessions AB695174 and AB709951-55. The sequence corresponding to symptomatic freesia had 98.8 to 99.4% identity with Stolbur phytoplasma strains in the 16S rDNA region, and it had only 95.7 to 96.3% identity with AY phytoplasma strains. In the ultra-thin sections of the leaf midribs, globous phytoplasmal bodies 54 to 214 nm in size were observed in sieve tube elements of phloem tissue. Fre-Phy-Ev6 and Fre-Phy-HM were doube-infected with Stolbur phytoplasma and Freesia mosaic virus (FreMV). Fre-Phy-Ev6 and Fre-Phy-HM revealed necrosis of flower stalks and flower color breaking besides curving of flower stalks. Therefore, flower color breaking and flower stalk necrosis were assumed to be caused by FreMV (1). Symptoms of chlorosis and stunting of whole plants shown in FreLN and virescence of Fre-phy-GG were typical symptoms of phytoplasmal diseases, while leaf crinkle, leaf curving, and curving of flower stalks appeared to be unique symptoms in F. hybrida. Stolbur phytoplasma was abundant in commercial freesia cultivation fields. Some of the cultivars, such as cv. Pallas, showed only curving of leaf and flower stalks without any typical symptom of phytoplasmal diseases. A phytoplasmal disease was reported in Poland in 2001 from F. hybrida exhibiting leaf chlorotic and necrotic spots, and classified as AY I-B based on RFLP analysis of PCR products (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Stolbur phytoplasma in F. hybrida. This result is significant because F. hybrida could be the infection source of Stolbur phytoplasma disease in floricultural crops. Interestingly, we found a prevalence of Stolbur phytoplasma in Petunia hybrida cultivars (GenBank Accession Nos. AB713757 to AB713758). High nucleotide sequence identity of 99.8% in the 16S rDNA region of Stolbur phytoplasma isolates from petunia and freesia support the inference that those Stolbur phytoplasma isolates could infect both floricultural crops. References: (1) A. A. Brunt. Freesia. Page 274 in: Virus and virus-like Diseases of Bulb and Flower Crops, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1995. (2) S. Deng and C. Hiruki. J. Microbiol. Methods. 14:53, 1991. (3) M. Kamińska and H. Sliwa. Plant Dis. 85:336, 2001. (4) I. M. Lee et al. Phytopathology 84:559, 1994.

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First report of aster yellows phytoplasma infection of marigold plants in Hungary

Journal of Plant Pathology ◽

10.1007/s42161-018-0035-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 100 (2) ◽

pp. 327-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Orsolya Viczián ◽

Emese Kiss ◽

Mária Szabó ◽

Emese Mergenthaler

Keyword(s):

Aster Yellows ◽

First Report ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Aster Yellows Phytoplasma

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Phytoplasma associated with shoot proliferation in begonia

Scientia Agricola ◽

10.1590/s0103-90162006000500009 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 63 (5) ◽

pp. 475-477 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Luiz Fernando Caldeira Ribeiro ◽

Ana Paula de Oliveira Amaral Mello ◽

Ivan Paulo Bedendo ◽

Ricardo Gioria

Keyword(s):

Ornamental Plants ◽

Shoot Proliferation ◽

Plant Size ◽

Universal Primers ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Specific Primers ◽

Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

Total Dna ◽

Polymerase Chain

Begonia is a very appreciated genus of ornamental plants, of economic relevancy, having species of flowers and foliage. In commercial croppings, plants exhibiting characteristic symptoms of phytoplasma infection have been observed, such as shoot proliferation, reduced plant, size small leaves and flowers, and phyllody. Leaves were sampled and total DNA was extracted to be used in nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), in order to detect and identify an expected phytoplasma. The results confirmed consistently the presence of a phytoplasma associated with symptomatic plants through the amplification of a typical genomic fragment of 1.2 kb by using the universal primers R16mF2/mR1 and R16F2n/R2. The use of specific primers R16(III)F2/R1 allowed to identify the phytoplasma detected as a representative of the group 16SrIII. This information is very expressive, because different diseases caused by fungus, bacteria, virus and nematodes have been reported for begonia, however, reports have not been found for begonia diseases associated with phytoplasmas.

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