Association of a ۱۶SrIX-C phytoplasma with eggplant phyllody in Iran

In ۲۰۱۱-۲۰۱۲ surveys for phytoplasma diseases, eggplant )Solanum melongena L.( plants with phyllody symptoms were observed in eggplant fields of Roodan (Hormozgan province of Iran). Agent of Roodan Eggplant Phyllody (REP) was transmitted from phyllody affected eggplant to eggplant and tomato by grafting and to periwinkle via dodder inoculation inducing phytoplasma-type symptoms. Phytoplasmal infection also was demonstrated by positive direct PCR reaction with phytoplasma universal primer pair P۱/P۷ and nested PCR using P۱/P۷ and R۱۶F۲n/R۱۶R۲ primer pairs.A P۱/P۷ primed PCR product from a naturally phyllody affected eggplant was cloned and sequenced and submitted to GenBank under accession number JX۴۶۴۶۶۹. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of P۱/P۷-primed PCR product indicated the presence of a pigeon pea witches'-broom (۱۶SrIX) group related phytoplasma in naturally phyllody affected eggplants. Using ۱۶S rRNA and SR sequences, Blast search, phylogenetic and virtual RFLP analyses and nucleotide homology percent revealed that REP associated phytoplasma is classified with members of ۱۶SrIX-C subgroup. To our knowledge eggplant is reported for the first time as a host for a ۱۶SrIX group related phytoplasma.

Keywords:

eggplant phyllody , Phytoplasma , dodder and graft transmission , ۱۶SrIX-C subgroup , Roodan