Identification of phytoplasma belonging to X-disease group in cherry in Chile

摘要

During summer 2006 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees, exhibiting disease symptoms suggestive of possible phytoplasma infection were observed in the Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins region of Chile. Branches were collected from ten plants (five with and five without symptoms) and nucleic acid extracted from leaf midribs and phloem scrapings was used for phytoplasmas testing. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification allows the detection of phytoplasmas in samples from plants that showed symptoms, but not in those from asymptomatic ones. Restriction fragment length polymorphism, cloning, and sequencing allowed identification of phytoplasmas into ribosomal subgroup 16SrIII-J.