Bulletin of Insectology (2011) 64, S87-S88

Anelia Etropolska, Barbara Jarausch, Michelle Herdemertens and Wolfgang Jarausch (2011)
Development of specific detection primers for `Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri'
Bulletin of Insectology 64 (Suppl.), S87-S88
Second International Phytoplasmologist Working Group Meeting (IPWG), Neustadt an der Weinstraße (Germany) September 12-15, 2011
Abstract: Pear decline (PD) is an economically highly important disease in many pear growing regions. It is associated with a phytoplasma of the 16Sr group X: `Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri'. Despite its importance, reliable detection primers for direct identification of the pathogen by PCR are missing. Available PD-specific primers in the 16S-23S rDNA sequence detected only 80% of PDinfected field-collected samples from Southwest Germany. In order to select new primers sequence data of the 16S-23S rDNA region were obtained for two strains of `Ca. P. pyri'. PD-specific primers were selected in silico and their specificity was tested with reference strains of the 16Sr group X. They proved to be highly specific for `Ca. P. pyri'. The reliability of the primers for PD detection was evaluated with field samples of pear. The detection rate could be improved up to 90% with respect to phytoplasma detection in the same samples with highly sensitive universal ribosomal primers.
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Database assignments for author(s): Barbara Jarausch

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma pyri	Pear (Pyrus)	Germany