Association of ’Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ with Cosmos bipinnatus phyllody disease in Iran

Abstract

In 2017 growing season numerous examinations of Cosmos bipinnatus in Hormozgan province, Iran revealed the disease symptoms similar to those associated with phytoplasmas. Phytoplasmas were detected from all symptomatic plants by the specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) utilizing phytoplasma universal primer pairs. Amplification, sequencing and BlAst analysis of 16s rDNA fragment (ca. 1.2 kb) demonstrated that C. bipinnatus plants were infected by a phytoplasma belonging to the 16srII group. This is the first report of association of a 'Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia'-related strain with C. bipinnatus phyllody in Iran.

History and Current Status of Phytoplasma Diseases in the Middle East

“…So far, five phytoplasma groups, including 16SrI, 16SrII, 16SrVI, 16SrIX, and 16SrXII, have been reported on 30 ornamental plant species in Iran. The most important group reported on ornamental is 16SrII-D, which was associated with Zinnia elegans , Calendula officinalis , Phoenix canariensis , Petunia violacea , Cosmos bipinnatus , Conocarpus erecta , Albizia lebbeck , Tamarix aphylla , and Cupressus sempervirens [ 160 , 169 , 170 , 171 , 172 ]. Some of these are shade trees planted in parks.…”

Pest categorisation of the non‐EU phytoplasmas of tuber‐forming Solanum spp.

“…Appendix A -Symptoms on plants other than Solanum tuberosum Andrographis paniculata: virescence, proliferation and witches' broom along with little leaf and stunted growth (Saeed et al, 2015) Artemisia sieberi: witches' broom (Hemmati and Nikooei, 2019c) Bituminaria bituminosa: stunted growth with small leaves, shortened internodes and bushy growth (Aryamanesh et al, 2011) Carthamus tinctorius: extensive fasciation, formation of bushy growth, phyllody and shortened of internodes (Mahmoudi et al, 2019) Cosmos bipinnatus: phyllody, virescence, little leaf and stunting (Nikooei et al, 2017) Crassula argentea: fasciation (Dewir et al, 2016) Echinacea pallida: virescence, phyllody and chlorotic leaves (Pearce et al, 2011) Echinacea purpurea: floral virescence, phyllody and witches' broom (Tseng et al, 2012) Eclipta prostrata: phyllody and witches' broom (Chen et al, 2020) Elettaria cardamomum: excessive shoot proliferation with reduced panicle with no or small-sized degenerated cardamom capsules (Mishra et al, 2019) Helichrysum bracteatum: phyllody and witches' broom (Ashwathappa et al, 2019) Lens culinaris: floral malformation, chlorosis of old leaves, little leaf, virescence, extensive proliferation of branches, lack of apical leaves, thick and distorted youngest leaves (Akhtar et al, 2016) Litchi chinensis: little leaf, leaf yellows and malformation symptoms (Rao et al, 2020b) Mangifera indica: little leaf, leaf yellows and malformation symptoms (Rao et al, 2020b) Medicago arborea: witches' broom, an asymmetric chlorotic and bushy zone in the crown comprising smaller yellow-green leaves and short internodes (Yang et al, 2013) Pedalium murex: stunted growth, reduced leaf size, shortened internodes and phyllody (Babu et al, 2015) Peganum harmala: witches' broom, little leaves, flattened stem and twisting the shoots Petunia violacea: phyllody, virescence, witches' broom, little leaf and yellowing Pistacia vera: witches' broom, yellowing and leaf malformation symptoms (Khodaygan et al, 2014) Polygala mascatense: small leaves, bushy growth, phyllody (Livingston et al, 2006) Psidium guajava: little leaf, leaf yellows and malformation symptoms (Rao et al, 2020b) Punica granatum: little leaf, leaf yellows and malformation symptoms (Rao et al, 2020b) Raphanus sativus: phyllody (Win and Jung, 2012) Spermacoce exilis: phyllody and elongated pedicels (Li and Chen, 2018) Simmondsia chinensis: witches' broom and little leaves (Omar et al, 2017)…”