First Report of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasia’ Strain Related to Witches’-Broom of Tomato in Türkiye

Authors : Mustafa USTA, Abdullah GÜLLER, Hikmet Murat SİPAHİOĞLU

Pages : 54-63

Doi:10.29133/yyutbd.1205091

View : 21 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 2023-03-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Phytoplasmas are dangerous bacteria severely infecting agricultural production worldwide. In the present study, the identification of phytoplasmas infecting tomato plants showing symptoms such as small leaves, flower abnormalities, stunting, witches\` broom, and reddening was performed. Five plants, two symptomatic and three asymptomatic, were tested to verify phytoplasma infection. Total DNA isolated from 5 leaf samples was used as a template for PCR reactions. The phytoplasma agents were confirmed in the two symptomatic samples. BLASTn search of 16S rRNA of two sequences shared identity similarity of 99.84% with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasia’. Computer-simulated virtual RFLP profiles show that the 16S rRNA sequences is identical to the reference pattern of the 16SrII-D subgroup, with a similarity coefficient of 1.00. Based on BLAST, virtual RFLP, and phylogenetic dendrogram, the identified phytoplasma strains are enclosed in the 16SrII-D subgroup. This is the first report of tomato witches\` broom disease related to 16SrII-D subgroup phytoplasma strains in the Antalya province of Türkiye.
Keywords : Solanum lycopersicum, phloem restricted bacteria, 16S rRNA, RFLP, molecular phylogeny