Multigene analyses for identification of phytoplasma strains infecting Dimorphandra gardneriana and Turnera ulmifolia in Brazil Contaldo Nicoletta2, Pacini Francesco2, Montano Helena Gugliemi1,*, Pimentel Joao Pedro1, Bertaccini Assunta2 1DEnF, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropedica, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy *Corresponding author e-mail: Helena Montano (hgmontano@yahoo.com.br)
Online published on 23 May, 2023. Abstract Turnera ulmifolia, the yellow alder, and Dimorphandra gardneriana, known as “fava d'anta” are plant species distributed in Brazil. In several locations these plants exhibited witches’ broom growths, reduced leaf and yellowing. Phytoplasma characterization based on the 16S rDNA gene by RFLP and sequencing analyses allowed the identification of phytoplasmas of the 16SrXIII-A ribosomal group. However, their assignment to a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ species was not defined. RFLP analyses and sequence comparison of non-ribosomal gene sequences (leu, tufC, secA and rp) provide however a good resolution of their molecular diversity suggesting their differentiation from ‘Ca. P. meliae’ and their possible assignment to ‘Ca. P. hispanicum’ or to a new phytoplasma taxon. Top Keywords Witches’, Broom, Phytoplasma, Brazil, 16Sr gene, Multigene analysis. Top |