First report of 16SrII-D phytoplasmas associated with fodder crops in India

Abstract

Disease symptoms characterized by phyllody, yellowing of leaves, stunting, and virescence were observed in economically important fodder crops like alfalfa and “bajra” x napier grass hybrid grass. Similar symptoms were found in bell pepper or “shimlamirch”, a common vegetable grown all over India; “bajra” a significant widespread cereal crop in Maharashtra and Karnataka and in the nuisance weed Parthenium hysterophorus collected in the vicinity of above fodder growing fields. The successful amplification of specific 16S rRNA gene in all collected symptomatic plants confirmed the presence of phytoplasmas and their sequences analysis revealed their close relationship with strains of ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma australasia’. Using EzTaxon, a microbial 16S rRNA sequence database, and i PhyClassifier- an online phytoplasma taxonomy tool, group 16SrII, subgroup D was identified for the classification of these sequences. This is the first report of 16SrII-D phytoplasmas associated with phyllody and yellowing diseases of “bajra” and bell pepper in India (PDF) First report of 16SrII-D phytoplasmas associated with fodder crops in India. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322687543_First_report_of_16SrII-D_phytoplasmas_associated_with_fodder_crops_in_India [accessed Dec 24 2018].