Plant Disease (2016) 100, 108-115

George O. Asudi, Johnnie Van den Berg, Charles A.O. Midega, Bernd Schneider, Erich Seemüller, John A. Pickett and Zeyaur R. Khan (2016)
Detection, identification, and significance of phytoplasmas in wild grasses in East Africa
Plant Disease 100 (1), 108-115
Abstract: Plant-pathogenic phytoplasmas found in wild grasses in East Africa could pose a serious threat to the cultivation of Napier grass, Pennisetum purpureum, the most important livestock fodder in the region. To asses this threat, leaves from plants of 33 grass species were sampled from Mbita, Bungoma, and Busia districts in western Kenya; Tarime district in northern Tanzania; and Busia and Bugiri districts in the eastern Uganda to determine which species host phytoplasmas, the identity of the phytoplasmas, and their relationship with disease symptoms. Phytoplasmas were detected using universal primers based on conserved phytoplasma-specific 16S rDNA sequences from 11 grass species collected. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of Napier grass stunt-related phytoplasmas in 11 grass species, ' Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis' in three, and goosegrass white leaf phytoplasma in 2 wild grass species. This study showed that the geographical distribution, diversity of phytoplasmas, and their grass host species in East Africa is greater than antecedently thought and that typical disease symptoms, including white leaf or stunting alone, are not reliable indicators of the presence of phytoplasma. It also shows the need to identify insect vectors responsible for phytoplasma transmission from native grasses to Napier grass or other cereals present in the region.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Johnnie van den Berg, Bernd Schneider, John A. Pickett, Charles A.O. Midega

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma cynodontis		Uganda