Characterization of phytoplasmas detected in Chinaberry trees with symptoms of leaf yellowing and decline in Bolivia

Abstract

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to detect phytoplasmas in foliage samples from Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) trees displaying symptoms of yellowing, little leaf and dieback in Bolivia. A ribosomal coding nuclear DNA (rDNA) product (1·8 kb) was amplified from one or more samples from seven of 17 affected trees by PCR employing phytoplasma‐universal rRNA primer pair P1/P7. When P1/P7 products were reamplified using nested rRNA primer pair R16F2n/R16R2, phytoplasmas were detected in at least one sample from 13 of 17 trees with symptoms. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of P1/P7 products indicated that trees CbY1 and CbY17 harboured Mexican periwinkle virescence (16SrXIII)‐group and X‐disease (16SrIII)‐group phytoplasmas, respectively. Identification of two different phytoplasma types was supported by reamplification of P1/P7 products by nested PCR employing X‐disease‐group‐specific rRNA primer pair R16mF2/WXint or stolbur‐group‐related primer pair fSTOL/rSTOL. These assays selectively amplified rDNA products of 1656 and 579 bp from nine and five trees with symptoms, respectively, of which two trees were coinfected with both phytoplasma types. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences revealed Chinaberry yellows phytoplasma strain CbY17 to be most similar to the chayote witches’‐broom (ChWBIII‐Ch10) agent, a previously classified 16SrIII‐J subgroup phytoplasma. Strain CbY1 resembled the Mexican periwinkle virescence phytoplasma, a 16SrXIII‐group member. The latter strain varied from all known phytoplasmas composing group 16SrXIII. On this basis, strain CbY1 was assigned to a new subgroup, 16SrXIII‐C.