First report of a phytoplasma associated with an oilseed rape disease in Greece

Molecular Characterization and Phylogeny of a Phytoplasma Associated with Phyllody Disease of toria (Brassica rapa L. subsp. dichotoma (Roxb.)) in India

“…All these phytoplasmas belong to 16SrIX phytoplasma group. Phytoplasma associated with oilseed brassicas in Canada, Czech Republic, Italy and more recently in Greece on the other hand belonged to 16SrI group [4,16,20,28]. Further study involving in silico analysis and virtual RFLP of 16S rDNA sequence including the application of iPhyClassifier indicated that all the four Indian isolates of TP phytoplasma were identical and belonged to 16SrIX-C phytoplasma subgroup and this was further supported by phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA, rp genes and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region spacer sequences.…”

“…The incidence of infection by phytoplasmas based on symptoms expressed in different accessions of toria was variable and reached 11% in toria field in New Delhi over a period of 2 years [2]. The major symptoms of phytoplasma diseases of toria consisted of virescence, phyllody and formation of hollow bladders but not stunting, leaf yellowing or purpling as reported for phytoplasma infected oilseed brassicas in other countries [4,16,20] indicating that the phytoplasmas associated with toria phyllody might be distinct from phytoplasmas infecting brassicas in other countries. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequence of toria phyllody showed that the toria phyllody phytoplasma shared maximum identity of 99% to that of K. arvensis phyllody (Y18052) from Italy and Khafr (Iran) almond witches'-broom phytoplasma (DQ195209) from Iran.…”

Failure of Flower Bud Formation in Brassica Plants Associated with Phytoplasma Infection

“…The disease symptoms observed in phytoplasma affected Brassica plants in Poland are different from shoot proliferation and flower virescence reported in plants belonging to Brassicaceae family which were cultivated in other European countries (Bertaccini et al, 1990;1998;Marcone & Ragozzino, 1995;Marcone et al, 1997;Vibio et al, 1996;Marzachi et al, 1999;Maliogka et al, 2009) or leaf yellowing, phyllody and seed malformation observed in canola plants in Canada (Olivier et al, 2006), all associated with aster yellows phytoplasma infection. The observed failure of flower bud formation is similar to the symptoms previously observed in Tagetes patula and some lily cultivars phytoplasma affected (Kamińska & Dziekanowska, 2001) as well as Brussels sprout plants ( Kamiński et al, 2010).…”

“…Palmifolia), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) (Marcone & Ragozzino, 1995;Marcone et al, 1997), Brussels sprout (Brassica oleraceae L. var. gemmifera DC) (Marzachi et al, 1999) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus) (Horvath, 1969;Vibio et al, 1996, Bertaccini et al, 1998Starzycki & Starzycka, 2000;Maliogka et al, 2009). Since the 1980s, in Alberta, Canada, symptoms of canola yellows similar to those of green petal of oilseed rape, have been observed in canola plants (Brassica napus and Brassica rapa) (Wang & Hiruki, 2001;Olivier et al, 2006).…”

“…Phytoplasma asteris', subgroup 16SrI-B (Bertaccini et al, 1998;Marzachi et al, 1999;Lee et al, 2001Lee et al, , 2003Maliogka et al, 2009). Most phytoplasmas associated with yellows-type symptoms of canola plants in Canada belong to subgroup 16SrI-A or 16SrI-B (Wang & Hiruki, 2001;Olivier et al, 2006), while phytoplasma associated with Iranian cabbage disease is related to 'Ca.…”