Occurrence of chrysanthemum virescence caused by 'Candidates Phytoplasma aurantifolia' in Okinawa

摘要

In 1999, a disease of chrysanthemum [Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura], characterized by virescence of flowers, occurred in Okinawa Prefecture. The causal agent was identified as "Candidates Phytoplasma aurantifolia" based on 16S rDNA sequencing. A chrysanthemum [Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura] that has been cultivated since the Nara period (A.D. 710-793) is one of the major ornamental flowers in Japan, and ranks first of the domestic cut flowers in totalnumbers shipped and produced.