Detection of 'Candidates Phytoplasma Asteris' Associated with Black Locust Witches* Broom in Korea

摘要

Typical phytoplasma witches' broom symptoms were observed in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in Korea. The symptoms of the disease were showing abnormally small leaves, shortened internodes and proliferation of shoots. The phytoplasmas were detected consistently in all the symptomatic samples by the amplification with phytoplasma universal primer pairs P1/P7 and R16F2n/R2, and the expected size was 1.8 kb and 1.2 kb. However, the phytoplasma DNA was not detected in healthy seedling. Based on sequence analysis of amplified region, this phytoplasma has close homologies with aster yellow, mulberry dwarf, maize bushy stunt, ash witches' broom and sumac witches' broom phytoplasmas, more than 99.2% but showed homologies with black locust witches' broom (GeneBank Accession No. AF 244363), and jujube witches' broom, 88.6% and 87.7%, respectively. This phylogetic analysis indicates that the black locust witches' broom phytoplasma founded in korea should be classified in the Candidatus phytoplasma asteris (16Sr I) group and clearly distinct from the black locust witches' broom group 16Sr III (peach X-disease phytoplasma group).