Plant Pathology (2006) 55, p. 821 (Arocha et al.)

Y. Arocha, B. Piñol, B. Picornell, R. Almeida and P. Jones (2006)
First report of a 16SrII (´Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia') group phytoplasma associated with a bunchy-top disease of papaya in Cuba
Plant Pathology 55 (6), 821-821
Abstract: In western Cuba, papaya bunchy-top like-disease (PBT-like) is associated with Candidatus Phytoplasma caricae belonging to a new 16SrXVII group. In 2005, typical PBT-like symptoms were seen extensively in papaya plantations of of eastern Cuba. Leaf samples from 177 plants showing PBT-like symptoms, 53 apparently healthy (symptomless) and 67 Empoasca spp. (leafhopper) were collected and tested for the presence of phytoplasmas using universal phytoplasma rDNA primer pairs P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2. A 1250 bp fragment was amplified from each of 171 plants with symptoms, 63 Empoasca spp., but none of the symptomless plants. RFLP analysis did not produce any postive results for Candidatus Phytoplasma caricae. Samples from the 171 plants with symptoms and two from the 63 insect samples were directly sequenced and showed their highest similarity (99%) to that of Polygalla phyllody phytoplasma, a member of the 16SrII group (Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia).
(The abstract has been supplied by the author or ISPI and is excluded from the Creative Commons licence.)
Link to article at publishers website

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 aurantifolia	Papaya (Carica papaya)	Cuba