Forest Pathology (2003) 33, 113-125

M. Seruga, D. Skoric, S. Botti, S. Paltrinieri, N. Juretic and A.F. Bertaccini (2003)
Molecular characterization of a phytoplasma from the aster yellows (16SrI) group naturally infecting Populus nigra L. 'Italica' trees in Croatia
Forest Pathology 33 (2), 113-125
Abstract: Leaf and branch samples were collected from 10 Populus nigra L. 'Italica' trees found in the Zagreb urban area. One of the P. nigra L. 'Italica' trees exhibited leaf yellowing, overall sparse foliage, stunting and decline. Two methods for the nucleic acid extraction in the phytoplasma detection from P. nigra were compared. A phytoplasma from the aster yellows group (16SrI) was detected by PCR in the symptomatic as well as in four apparently asymptomatic plants. The pathogens are classified, by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene plus the spacer region, as members of a newly described subgroup 16SrI-P. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal and spacer region sequence confirmed their close relationship with the other members of the aster yellows group. However, RFLP analyses of other conserved genes such as tuf, BB88 and ribosomal protein rpL22 gene, clearly confirmed that this is a molecularly distinguishable phytoplasma belonging to a new ribosomal protein subgroup designated rp-O.
(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): Martina Seruga Music, Dijana Skoric, Assunta Bertaccini

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	16SrI phytoplasma group