European Journal of Plant Pathology (2022) 163, 223-235

Delia Gamarra Gamarra, Charo Milagros Villar, Gilberto Torres Suarez, Walter Darlyn Ingaruca Esteban, Nicoletta Contaldo, Emerson Clovis Carrasco Lozano and Assunta Bertaccini (2022)
Diverse phytoplasmas associated with maize bushy stunt disease in Peru
European Journal of Plant Pathology 163 (1), 223-235
Abstract: Corn plants showing symptoms of midribs chlorosis, and leaf reddening, short internodes, ear proliferation, and plant growth reduction were collected in Peru from fields in nine localities in the provinces of Huancayo, Chupaca, and Jauja in the Junín region, and tested to verify phytoplasma presence and identity. Primers amplifying the phytoplasma ribosomal 16S and ribosomal protein genes were used. The phytoplasma presence was detected in symptomatic samples from all the surveyed areas. The sequencing of the obtained amplicons indicated the presence of ' Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' and ' Ca. P. pruni '-related strains. A BLASTn search of sequenced genes showed that the two ' Candidatus Phytoplasma' strains identified in corn shares 100% and 99.82% identity with the ' Ca. P. asteris ' strains from maize and 99.92% and 99.55% with 'Ca. P. pruni '-related strains, respectively. The RFLP analyses allowed to enclose these phytoplasma strains in the 16SrI-B and 16SrIII-J subgroups; however, the two phytoplasmas were, in some cases, present in mixed infection. The 16SrIII-J phytoplasma is for the first time reported associated with the maize bushy stunt disease and this represent a relevant information for the disease epidemiology towards its appropriate management in the affected area.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Nicoletta Contaldo, Assunta Bertaccini

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma pruni	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Peru
	Phytoplasma asteris	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Peru