Molecular identification of Jujube witches'-broom phytoplasma (16SrV) associated with witches'-broom disease of Ziziphus oenoplia in India

Snehi Sk,Jain B,Srivastava S,Parihar Ss

doi:10.35248/2157-7471.20.11.492

Abstract

Severe witches’-broom disease of Ziziphus oenoplia was observed with significant disease incidence in Bhopal, India, during 2019. Phytoplasma was detected from symptomatic leaf samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene specific primers which revealed positive amplification of expected size ~1.2 kb DNA band. The positive amplicons of the phytoplasma 16S rRNA (1.2 kb) were sequence and sequenced data was submitted in GenBank database (Accession no. MK975463 and MK975462). On the basis of highest 99% sequence identities, closest phylogenetic relationships and In silico of the under study both the phytoplasma isolates associated with witches'-broom disease of Ziziphus oenoplia identified as a species of Jujube witches'-broom phytoplasma as a member of Elm yellows group (16SrV ). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of Jujube witches'-broom phytoplasma species of Elm yellows group (16SrV) with witches'-broom disease of Z. oenoplia in India.

Highlights

Phytoplasmas are intracellular obligate prokaryotes which lack cell wall, have small genome and are mainly transmitted by hemipteran insect vector of the families Cicadellidea and Fulgoridea [1]
The Z. oenoplia plants were found to phytoplasma like symptoms rosetting, proliferation of axillary shoots, exhibiting witches’broom, excessive branching accompanied with little leaf symptoms with 40-45% disease incidence during the survey in February, 2019 in Barkatullah University campus, Bhopal (Figure 1)
The natural occurrence of witches’- broom with little leaf disease of Z. oenoplia was detected by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using phytoplasma specific primers and 1.2 kb sequence data were analysed by National Centre for Biotechnology Information GenBank database (NCBI) BLASTn

Summary

Introduction

Phytoplasmas are intracellular obligate prokaryotes which lack cell wall, have small genome and are mainly transmitted by hemipteran insect vector of the families Cicadellidea (leafhoppers) and Fulgoridea (planthopper) [1]. Phytoplasmas associated with witches’-broom disease in Ziziphus jujube and Z. nummularia in Bahraich district, in India, are considered isolates of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma ziziphi’ [8].

Results

Conclusion