Published Date: 2009-01-26 22:00:43
Subject: PRO/PL> Phytoplasmas, multicrop - Costa Rica, Germany
Archive Number: 20090126.0358
PHYTOPLASMAS, MULTICROP - COSTA RICA, GERMANY
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[1] Soybean, capsicum, passionfruit - Costa Rica: new pathogen (2002)
[2] Stolbur phytoplasma, potato - Germany (Rheinlandpfalz)
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[1] Soybean, capsicum, passionfruit - Costa Rica: new pathogen
Date: 26 Jan 2009
Source: The American Phytopathological Society, Plant Disease 2009;
93(2): 201 [edited]
<http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-93-2-0201C>
[Ref: W Villalobos et al: First Report of New Phytoplasma Diseases
Associated with Soybean, Sweet Pepper, and Passion Fruit in Costa
Rica. Plant Dis 2009; 93(2): 201; DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-93-2-0201C]
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A new soybean disease outbreak occurred in 2002 in a soybean
(_Glycine max_) plantation in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. Symptoms
on the affected plants included general stunting, small leaves,
formation of excessive buds, and aborted seed pods. In the same
region, 2 other diseases, one in sweet pepper (_Capsicum annuum_)
fields and another affecting passion fruit (_Passiflora edulis_)
vines, were also found. Symptoms on sweet pepper plants included
unusually dark green leaves, some of which exhibited a rugose symptom
with a zigzag pattern to the midvein, and purple vein discoloration.
Passion fruit vines exhibited bud proliferation. Collectively,
symptoms resembled those commonly attributed to phytoplasmal
infections.
Total nucleic acid was extracted from veinal tissues of leaves or
buds (soybean). A nested PCR [polymerase chain reaction] assay was
employed for the detection of putative phytoplasmas that might be
associated within symptomatic plants. All 7 symptomatic plants (3
soybean, 3 sweet pepper, and one passion fruit) tested, but not
healthy controls, yielded positive results. Restriction fragment
length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of PCR products indicated that
the 3 diseases were associated with a very similar or identical
phytoplasma.
RFLP patterns and sequence analysis of cloned 16S rDNA revealed that
the phytoplasma shared less than 97.5 percent sequence homology with
all previously classified phytoplasmas, and, as such, represents a
new taxon most closely related to 16SrXII [Stolbur] group strains. To
our knowledge, this is the 1st report of a new phytoplasma associated
with diseases of soybean, sweet pepper, and passion fruit in Costa
Rica.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
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[2] Stolbur phytoplasma, potato - Germany (Rheinlandpfalz)
Date: November 2008
Source: European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Reporting
Service 11/2008/213 [edited]
<http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2008/Rse-0811.pdf>
Stolbur phytoplasma found on potatoes in Germany
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The NPPO [National Plant Protection Organization] of Germany recently
informed the EPPO Secretariat of the occurrence of Stolbur
phytoplasma ('_Candidatus_ Phytoplasma solani' - EPPO A2 List) on
potatoes in Rheinlandpfalz. On 31 Jul 2008, typical symptoms of stolbur
were detected in a potato field of a private grower. The phytoplasma
could be isolated from tubers, leaves, and stem and was identified by
PCR.
The infected tubers were used for processing. The grower was
officially notified not to grow potatoes on the infected field in
2009. Further samples were collected in the vicinity of the infected
field and tested. It is assumed that the infection was caused by
natural spread (transmission by the insect vector _Hyalesthes
obsoletus_ from other infected plants), because the infected field
was located close to a vineyard. It can be recalled that stolbur was
reported for the 1st time on potato crops in Hessen in 2006 (see EPPO
RSE 2006/181 at
<http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOReporting/2006/Rse-0609.pdf>), and
similarly the incursion on potato crops was suspected to be linked to
the presence of the phytoplasma in surrounding weeds.
The situation of stolbur phytoplasma on potatoes in Germany can be
described as follows: present, one outbreak detected in Rheinlandpfalz
in 2008, under eradication.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[_Ca._ Phytoplasma solani (also called potato stolbur phytoplasma),
the type member of the stolbur phytoplasma taxonomic group, has a
wide host range and is known to affect around 45 species of
_Solanaceae_ (including crops such as potato, tomato, capsicum, and
eggplant), as well as further species in 6 other families. It can be
spread by grafting and planthopper vectors, and _Hyalesthes
obsoletus_ is considered the most important vector in parts of
Europe. Disease outbreaks seem to occur in cycles, being favoured by
hot dry summers, which stimulate vector migration into crops. The
crop hosts are normally not important for the continuity of the
pathogen, which prefers several species of wild plants.
Other species of the stolbur group (16SrXII) of phytoplasmas have
been reported from Europe and parts of Asia and Africa causing
diseases in a range of dicotyledonous crops (for example, bois noir,
a serious disease of grapevine) and a few monocot hosts (including
maize and sugarcane). Phytoplasma species are defined by a level of
at least 97.5 percent homology of 16S ribosomal RNA sequences, but
even at this level additional species have been defined to
distinguish between organisms significantly different in biological
and genetic properties. Thus the novel phytoplasma from Costa Rica
has been designated a new species, most likely within the stolbur
group. Disease management for phytoplasmas include vector control,
use of clean planting material, and resistant varieties.
Maps
Costa Rica:
<http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/lgcolor/crcolor.htm>
and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=3624953&v=10,-84.2,7>
Germany:
<http://www.emansworld.com/JPEGS/map_germany-big.jpeg> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=2847618&v=51.1,10.4,6>
Pictures
_Ca._ P. solani symptoms on potato:
<http://www.forestryimages.org/images/768x512/0454069.jpg> and
<http://www.forestryimages.org/images/768x512/0725024.jpg>
On tomato:
<http://www.forestryimages.org/images/768x512/0176080.jpg> and
<http://www.apsnet.org/mpmi/covers/2006/mja06cvr.htm>
_H. obsoletus_ vector:
<http://aramel.free.fr/Hyalesthes-obsoletus.jpg>
Links
Information on potato stolbur phytoplasma:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/bacteria/Stolbur/PHYP10_ds.pdf>
_H. obsoletus_ information:
<http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/Hort/ascu/fulgor/hobsolet.htm>
_Ca._ Phytoplasma solani taxonomy:
<http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/69896>
_Ca._ Phytoplasma taxonomy and species groups:
<http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/33926>
Phytoplasma taxonomy:
<http://ijsb.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/57/8/1855>
Phytoplasma information and resource centre:
<http://plantpathology.ba.ars.usda.gov/phytoplasma.html>
EPPO A2 quarantine list:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/listA2.htm>. - Mod.DHA]