Distribution of lethal yellowing and associated phytoplasma strains in Jamaica, Mexico and other countries in the region

Abstract

The relentless spread of the fatal disease lethal yellowing (LY) throughout the coconut growing areas is having a serious impact on many vulnerable communities. Phytoplasmas from the 16SrIV group are the associated agents. These obligated phytopathogenic mollicutes systemically colonize phloem tissues inducing numerous biochemical and physiological changes leading to symptom development and ultimate death of coconut palms. Large numbers of coconut trees succumbed to the disease over the past three decades. There are different subgroups of the 16SrIV phytoplasmas affecting palms in the Americas. It is important for these to be properly identified along with the epidemiology of the disease. The effective molecular tools used to identify these subgroups show variations in some conserved genomic regions. In the Americas the subgroups have been identified, the current distribution of LY in Jamaica and Mexico and the 16SrIV subgroups occurring in these countries and in other Caribbean countries are described.