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Molecular characterization of a phytoplasma causing Phyllody in Clover and other herbaceous hosts in Northern Italy

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Abstract

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and Ladino clover (Trifolium repens) plants showing phytoplasma-associated symptoms (yellowing/reddening, virescence and phyllody) have been recovered in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Using AluI RFLP analysis of PCR amplified 16S rDNA we showed that the disease can be caused independently by two phylogenetically distinct phytoplasmas. One of them showed the very typical 16S rDNA RFLP pattern of the agent of Clover Phyllody in Canada (CCPh). The 16S rDNA of the other phytoplasma (Italian Clover Phyllody phytoplasma, ICPhp) has been PCR amplified, cloned and sequenced. The sequence revealed high similarity (>98%) with phytoplasmas belonging to the X disease cluster, which includes organisms not reported to cause phyllody on their hosts. The analysis by AluI RFLP of the PCR amplified pathogen 16S rDNA from other herbaceous plants (Crepis biennis, Taraxacum officinale, Leucanthemum vulgare) collected nearby with phytoplasma-associated symptoms showed similar patterns. Southern blot hybridization of their EcoRI digested total DNA revealed identical RFLP patterns, suggesting that the causative agent may be the same organism.

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Abbreviations

PCR:

Polymerase Chain Reaction

rDNA:

gene for the small subunit ribosomal RNA

RFLP:

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Applicata alla Difesa delle Piante, Universita' di Udine, via Scienze 208, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Giuseppe Firrao, Luigi Carraro, Emanuela Gobbi & Romano Locci

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  1. Giuseppe Firrao
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  2. Luigi Carraro
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  3. Emanuela Gobbi
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  4. Romano Locci
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Firrao, G., Carraro, L., Gobbi, E. et al. Molecular characterization of a phytoplasma causing Phyllody in Clover and other herbaceous hosts in Northern Italy. Eur J Plant Pathol 102, 817–822 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01877050

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01877050

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