Plant PathologyVolume 58, Issue 2 p. 391-391 Free Access First report on detection of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ (group 16SrII) affecting sapodilla in eastern Cuba K. Acosta, K. Acosta University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorB. Piñol, B. Piñol National Centre for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), San José de Las Lajas, Havana, CubaSearch for more papers by this authorE. Acosta, E. Acosta University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorP. Countín, P. Countín University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorY. Arocha, Y. Arocha National Centre for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), San José de Las Lajas, Havana, Cuba Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK E-mail: arocharosete57@googlemail.com. Accepted 20 August 2008 at http://www.bspp.org.uk/ndr where figures relating to this paper can be viewed.Search for more papers by this author K. Acosta, K. Acosta University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorB. Piñol, B. Piñol National Centre for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), San José de Las Lajas, Havana, CubaSearch for more papers by this authorE. Acosta, E. Acosta University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorP. Countín, P. Countín University Centre ‘Vladimir Ilich Lenin’, Israel Santos, PC 75200, Las TunasSearch for more papers by this authorY. Arocha, Y. Arocha National Centre for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), San José de Las Lajas, Havana, Cuba Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK E-mail: arocharosete57@googlemail.com. Accepted 20 August 2008 at http://www.bspp.org.uk/ndr where figures relating to this paper can be viewed.Search for more papers by this author First published: 11 March 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2008.01998.xCitations: 5 AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) has become an important fruit crop in eastern Cuba due to its fresh consumption and derivates used in local commerce. Sapodilla has been identified as a potential export crop, and its pilot cultivation is being exploited in the eastern province of Las Tunas for such purposes. Symptoms of leaf yellowing and witches’ broom have been recently observed in sapodilla fields in the region of Vazquez, Las Tunas. Although no data are available on the distribution of the disease throughout the province, there was patchy distribution in Vazquez sapodilla fields, with approximately 20% of plants displaying obvious symptoms, this being the first record of such symptoms in this crop in Cuba. Leaf samples from three affected and two symptomless plants were collected and total DNA extracted and used as template in a nested PCR with universal phytoplasma 16S rDNA primers, R16mF2/R1 and fU5/rU3. PCR amplicons (880 bp) were produced in two out of three samples with symptoms, but not from symptomless samples. The two amplicons were purified, cloned (pGEMT-Easy Vector, Promega), and sequenced in both directions with M13 forward and reverse sequencing primers. Restriction profiles after digestion of PCR amplicons with Sau3AI, HpaII and HaeIII enzymes were all identical to those of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ (group 16SrII). The 16S rDNA sequences of the phytoplasma detected in the two sapodilla samples showing symptoms shared 100% identity with each other, and 99% with that of the Cleome witches’-broom phytoplasma (GenBank Accession No. EU513212), a member of group 16SrII, when compared using blast searches. The 16S rDNA sequence of the sapodilla phytoplasma was deposited in GenBank (EU869220). ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ group phytoplasmas have been previously recorded from Cuba in papaya, particularly in the eastern region (Arocha et al., 2007), which reinforces the prevalence of this group in this part of the country. No previous record of the presence of phytoplasmas has been found in sapodilla from other countries in the region, or worldwide. Acknowledgements Work in the UK was performed under Defra licence No. PHF 174D/5185(08/2005). Sequencing was performed by the Sequencing Service (School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland, http://www.dnaseq.co.uk) using Applied Biosystems Big-Dye Ver 3·1 chemistry on an Applied Biosystems model 3730 automated capillary DNA sequencer. Reference Arocha Y, Piñol B, López M et al ., 2007. ‘Bunchy Top Symptom’ of papaya in Cuba: new insights. Bulletin of Insectology 60, 393– 4. Web of Science®Google Scholar Citing Literature Volume58, Issue2April 2009Pages 391-391 ReferencesRelatedInformation