The first report of transmission of a phytoplasma associated with sesame phyllody byOrosius albicinctusin Iran

Abstract

During 2003–05, a survey for phytoplasmas was carried out in sesame fields in Yazd province (Iran). The leafhopper Orosius albicinctus was collected and found to contain a phytoplasma. Transmission tests were performed under greenhouse conditions. The indicator plants were alfalfa, rapeseed, garden beet, sesame, radish, periwinkle and garden cress. A nested polymerase chain reaction using phytoplasma universal primers was used to detect phytoplasmas in indicator plants and leafhoppers. Amplification of a phytoplasma-characteristic 1.2-kb 16 S rDNA fragment confirmed that sesame, garden cress and garden beet plants were infected by the phytoplasma. On the basis of RFLP analysis of the amplified DNA fragments using five endonucleases, the detected phytoplasma belonged to the 16SrII group (peanut witches’ broom phytoplasma). This is the first report of transmission of a phytoplasma associated with sesame phyllody by O. albicinctus in Iran.