Detection, in silico analysis and molecular diversity of phytoplasmas from solanaceous crops in Turkey

Abstract

Phytoplasma-like symptoms of leaf yellowing and calyx malformation were observed in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), upward leaves and fruit malformation in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), and aerial tuber formation in potato (S. tuberosum L.) during the survey performed in the late season (August to September) of 2015 and 2016 in Van province (Turkey). A total of 100 samples were tested by nested-PCR using universal primer pairs to assess the sanitary status of the solanaceous crops and to characterise the phytoplasma isolates. Among them, seven samples resulted in a 1.25 kb DNA fragment, and five (two eggplants, two peppers, and one potato) were molecularly characterised (Accession No.: KY579357, KT595210, MF564267, MF564266, and MH683601). BLAST and the virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed the presence of two distinct phytoplasma infections in solanaceous crops: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ a member of the clover proliferation group (16SrVI) and subgroup A and ‘Candidatus P. solani’ a member of the stolbur group (16SrXII) and subgroup A. The virtual RFLP analysis and calculated coefficients of RFLP pattern similarities further revealed a remarkable genetic diversity among the ‘Candidatus P. solani’ isolates infecting pepper (similarity coefficient of 0.90) and eggplant (similarity coefficients of 0.98 and 1.00) at the same geographical area. This is the first report of the natural occurrence of ‘Candidadtus P. trifolii’ in potato from the Eastern Anatolia region, Turkey.

Natural phytoplasma infections on fruit, vegetable and weed plants at the same agroecosystem and their molecular properties

“…The occurrence of the phytoplasmas is not new in Turkey since there are earlier and recent reports of some hosts (Sertkaya et al, 2007;Ikten et al, 2014;Gazel et al, 2015;Usta et al, 2017b, Usta et al, 2018bUsta et al, 2020). The results of the present study showed that the symptoms of stunting, yellowing, reddening of pear plant and the flower sterility, malformation, big bud and dwarfing of tomato plants collected were all associated with phytoplasmas.…”

Eggplant Little Leaf-Associated Phytoplasma Detection in Seedlings under Insect-Proof Conditions

“…However, the identified phytoplasmas are different mainly according to their geographic distribution. In detail, phytoplasmas identified in the 16SrI group were detected in Japan, Bangladesh, and India [23][24][25]; in the 16SrII-D in Oman, Egypt, and India [26][27][28][29]; in the 16SrIII-B, -J and -U in Brazil [30,31]; in the 16SrVI-A in Turkey [32]; in the 16SrVI-D in India [28,33]; in the 16SrIX-C in Iran [34]; and the 16SrXII-A in Russia and Turkey [35,36].…”

Brinjal Little Leaf Disease Epidemiology in Insect Proof Conditions

“…Phytoplasma associated diseases in eggplant are mostly reported in Asian, American and African continents. So far different phytoplasmas are reported in diseased eggplants in particular 16StI from Japan, Bangladesh and India [16][17][18], 16SrII-D from Oman, Egypt and India [19][20][21][22], 16SrIII-B, -J and -U from Brazil [23,24], 16SrVI-A from Turkey [25], 16SrVI-D from India [21,26], 16SrIX-C from Iran [27] and 16SrXII-A from Russia and Turkey [28,29]. In many areas of India there were reports of little leaf disease of brinjal.…”