• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2023

For unknown reasons, a few trees in a private chestnut orchard in Icheon si, Gyunggi-do suffered leaf chlorosis and growth decline. Based on symptoms, phytoplasma was a probable cause. Leaf samples were collected from two symptomatic and non-symptomatic trees in the orchard for phytoplasma detection. An amplicon of about 1.2 bp size was obtained from both symptomatic trees by PCR with the universal 16S rDNA primers. Sequences of these amplicons were found to have 99% nucleotide sequence identity to the corresponding genomic region of 16SrIII (X-disease group). More than 100 phytoplasma isolates, such as Candidatus phytoplasma pruni, Milkweed yellows phytoplasma, Goldenrod yellows phytoplasma, Tsuwabuki witches'-broom phytoplasma, Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii, etc. were involved in the list. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequence obtained in this study closely clustered with Candidatus phytoplasma groups. While one of the amplicons shared 91% identity with the Candidatus phytoplasma castaneae, the other shared only 47%. It needs further analysis and investigation to determine the exact taxonomy. Meanwhile, based on the analysis of the sequences, chlorosis, and small leaves were associated with phytoplasma.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.146-158
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• 2022

Changes in physiological and biochemical patterns in lucerne plants caused by the presence of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma australasia', which is one of the significant pathogens causing yield losses in lucerne plants, were investigated. Significant differences were evident in total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and protein amounts between 'Ca. Phytoplasma australasia'-positive and negative lucerne plants. Stress-related metabolites such as phenol, malondialdehyde, and proline accumulations in 'Ca. Phytoplasma australasia'-positive plants were remarkably higher than those of phytoplasma-negative plants. As a response to disease attack, phytoplasma-positive plants exhibited higher antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) and nonenzymatic metabolite responses such as jasmonic and salicylic acids. We state that partial disease responses were revealed for the first time to breed resistant lucerne lines infected by 'Ca. Phytoplasma australasia'.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.106-108
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• 2007

The Symptoms of witches' broom disease caused by phytoplasma including general stunting and yellowing, were observed in leafy lespedeza (Lespedeza cyrtobotrya M.) on Doam-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, in 2006. Based on the sequence analysis of PCR-amplified 16S ribosomal DNA and 16S-23S spacer region DNA products using universal phytoplasma primers, the phytoplasma associated with leafy lespedeza witches' broom (LLWB) disease was identified as a member of Candidatus Pytoplasma trifolii. It was most closely related to alsike clover proliferation phytoplasma (99.8% similarity, accession no. AY390261), Candidatus Pytoplasma trifolii strain. RFLP patterns generated with AluI, HpaII clearly differentiated LLWB phytoplasma from the referenced phytoplasma strains, water dropwort witches' broom, mulberry dwarf, glehni aster yellow dwarf and jujube witches' broom. This paper is the first report on Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii in leafy lespedeza identified at a molecular level.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.6
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• pp.737-741
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• 2007

Typical phytoplasma witches' broom symptoms were observed in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in Korea. The symptoms of the disease were showing abnormally small leaves, shortened intemodes and proliferation of shoots. The phytoplasmas were detected consistently in all the symptomatic samples by the amplification with phytoplasma universal primer pairs P1/P7 and R16F2n/R2, and the expected size was 1.8 kb and 1.2 kb. However, the phytoplasma DNA was not detected in healthy seedling. Based on sequence analysis of amplified region, this phytoplasma has close homologies with aster yellow, mulberry dwarf, maize bushy stunt, ash witches' broom and sumac witches' broom phytoplasmas, more than 99.2% but showed homologies with black locust witches' broom (GeneBank Accession No. AF 244363), and jujube witches' broom, 88.6% and 87.7%, respectively. This phylogetic analysis indicates that the black locust witches' broom phytoplasma founded in korea should be classified in the Candidatus phytoplasma asteris (16Sr I) group and clearly distinct from the black locust witches' broom group 16Sr III (peach X-disease phytoplasma group).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.274-279
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• 2019

Artemisia sieberi showing symptoms resembling those caused by phytoplasma were observed in Geno Mountain, Hormozgan Province, Iran, and were examined for phytoplasma presence by PCR assays. In addition, the essential oils hydrodistilled from the aerial parts of phytoplasma-infected and healthy plants have been analyzed and compared by GC and GC/MS. Phylogenetic and virtual RFLP analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the phytoplasma associated with A. sieberi witches' broom (AsWB) was a strain of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia'. The presence of the disease, however, induced a further enrichment (from 4.9 to 45.2%, a relative increase of 90%) of the entire monoterpene class as compared to the abundance in healthy samples. Conversely, a matching decrease in monoterpenoid (from 48.7 to 2%, a relative decrease of 90.2%) was observed in the infected plants. Besides the first report of phytoplasma infection of A. sieberi, the changes of its essential oils are reported.

• Plant Resources
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2000

This test checked jujube witches'-broom disease, sumac witches'-broom disease, paulonia witches'- broom disease, and mulberry dwarf disease whether or not they were infected by phytoplasma, using universal and specific primers. Upon treatment of DNA amplified by PCR of phytoplasma with Alu I , Hpa II and Sat I restricted enzymes, distinction of phytoplasmas was possible. Particularly, phytoplasma of each host was distinguishable by treatment of Hpa II restricted enzyme. Meanwhile, analysis of restricted enzymes of jujube witches'-broom disease showed a higher infectivity of phytoplasmas of two origins. There were a lot of relations between jujube witches'-broom disease and sumac witches'-broom disease, and between paulonia witches'-broom disease and mulberry dwarf disease.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.279-282
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• 2008

This study describes a phytoplasmal disease occurring in Petunia leaves grown in the glasshouse of the National Horticultural Research Institute, Suwon, Korea. Abnormal growth like flattened stem with flower malformation or phyllody was observed from the plant. The DNA extracted from the diseased leaves was amplified using a universal primer pair of P1/P6 derived from the conserved 16S rRNA gene of Mollicutes giving the expected polymerase chain reaction(PCR) product of 1.5 kb. In the nested PCR assays, the expected DNA fragment of 1.1 kb was amplified with the specific primer pair R16F1/R16R1 that was designed on the basis of aster yellows(AY) phytoplasma 16S rDNA sequences. The 1.1 kb PCR products were cloned and nucleotide sequences were determined, and the sequences of the cloned 168 rRNA gene were deposited in the GenBank database under the accession no. of EU267779. Analysis of the homology percent of the 168 rDNA of PFS-K showed the closest relationship with Hydrangea phyllody phytoplasma(AY265215), Brassica napus phytoplasma(EU123466) and AY phytoplasma CHRY(AY180956). Phytoplasma isolated from the diseased Petunia was designated as Petunia flat stem phytoplasma Korean isolate(PFS-K) in this study. Flattened stem occurring in Petunia was confirmed as infection of AY group of phytoplasma by determination of 16S rRNA gene sequences of phytoplasma and microscopic observation of phytoplasma bodies. This is the first report on the phytoplasmal disease in Petunia in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.329-335
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• 2001

Yellowing disease of palms caused by phytoplasma is spreading in the Arabian Gulf region. Surveys were conducted to determine the occurrence of the disease. Electron and fluorescence microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were used to detect the phytoplasma associated with the yellowing disease of ornamental palm Washingtonia sp. grown in Kuwait. An accumulation of phytoplasmal DNA was observed by fluorescence microscopy in phloem tissues of diseased palms. Electron microscopy showed that phytoplasma cells were primarily confined to the phloemsieve elements of tissue samples collected from infected mature palms in the field. The pathogen was identified on the basis of molecular analysis using universal and specific nested primers in PCR amplifications. Prokaryotic 16S rDNA gene was detected in amplified PCR products. Nested PCR resulted in DNA amplification of 1.2 kbp fragment. This is the first report of a phytoplasmal rDNA gene identified from the putative causal pathogen of yellows in ornamental palms in the Arabian Gulf region.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.2 s.159
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• pp.103-107
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• 2005

Typical phytoplasma whiches' broom symptoms were observed in Ash (Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hence) in Korea. The symptoms of the disease were showing abnormally small leaves, shorted internodes and proliferation of shoots. Examination of fluorescent and electron microscopy of leaf midribs revealed numerous phytoplasma bodies localized in the phloem tube cells. The phytoplasmas were detected in all the symptomatic samples by the amplification with phytoplasma specific primer pair P1/P7 consistently, and the expected size was 1.8 kb. However, the phytoplasma DNA was not detected in healthy seedlings. Based on sequence analysis of amplified region, this phytoplasma has close homologies with eqilodium phyllody, mulberry dwarf, and aster yellow phytoplasmas, 99.95%, 99.79% and 99.78%, respectively, This phylogetic analysis indicates that ash witches' broom phytoplasma should be classified in the aster yellow group 16SrVI and clearly distinct from the ash yellow group 16SrVII.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.364-377
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• 2020

Sugarcane is an important sugar crop contributes more than 80% of world sugar production. Mosaic, leaf fleck, and yellow leaf (YL) are the major viral diseases affecting sugarcane, amongst YL occurrence is widely reported in all the sugarcane growing countries. It is caused by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and detailed works were done on complete genome characterization, transmission, and management. However, in countries like Egypt, South Africa, Cuba, Mauritius and Hawaii, the disease was reported to the cause of sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma (SCYP) and/or SCYLV as single/combined infections. Hence, we have investigated in detail to identify the exact Candidatus phytoplasma taxon associated in Indian cultivars affected with YL. The sequencing results and the restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of the PCR products using the universal phytoplasma primers confirmed presence of sugarcane grassy shoot (SCGS) phytoplasma (16SrXI group) in the YL-affected plants. Mixed infection of SCYLV and SCGS phytoplasma was estimated as 32.8% in YL affected plants. Evolutionary genetic relationship between SCYP and SCGS phytoplasma representatively taken from different countries showed that SCYP from South Africa and Cuba were diverged from others and had a highest similarity with SCGS phytoplasma. Although we wanted to identify SCYP from YL affected Indian sugarcane cultivars, the study clearly indicated a clear absence of SCYP in YL affected plants and we found SCYLV as the primary cause for the disease.