Molecular identification and prevalence of Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae causing red stripe of sugarcane in China

Abstract

Red stripe caused by the bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae (Aaa) is a disease of sugarcane that is distributed worldwide. In this study, 108 sugarcane leaf samples were collected in 2013–2016 from nine sugarcane‐growing regions in China. Aaa was detected by PCR with specific and novel primers from the 16S–23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer region in 81 of 84 (96%) leaves with red stripe symptoms and in 20 of 24 (83%) leaves without symptoms. Furthermore, Aaa was detected in all nine sampling locations representing six sugarcane‐producing provinces in China. The 101 amplified fragments were cloned and sequenced. The size of the nucleotide sequences varied from 436 to 454 bp and the sequence identity ranged from 89.2% to 100%, suggesting a significant genetic variation among Aaa strains from China. Five major restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles were obtained by in silico and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses of the PCR products digested with HindIII and EcoRI. The causal agent of sugarcane red stripe was also successfully isolated from a diseased plant and its pathogenicity confirmed by inoculation of healthy sugarcane plantlets and reproduction of disease symptoms. The data showed that Aaa is currently widespread in China, suggesting that control methods should be implemented to limit the impact of red stripe on sugarcane production.