Identification of phytoplasmas in 16SrI-D subgroup in mango with malformation and witches’ broom disease in Punjab, India

Abstract

Symptoms of mango malformation and witches’ broom were observed in mango orchards at Ludhiana, Punjab, India during 2020. Phytoplasmas were detected in the symptomatic mango samples by polymerase chain reaction with specific primer pairs amplifying 16S rRNA and secA genes. Pair wise sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and secA gene sequences of mango phytoplasma strains indicate their relatedness with phytoplasmas in the aster yellows group. In silico RFLP analyses using the iPhy Classifier of the 16S rDNA sequence of the mango phytoplasma allowed its classification into the 16SrI-D subgroup. This is first report of this phytoplasma in mango plants showing a malformation and witches’ broom disease.