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In vitro transmission of 16SrIV phytoplasmas to coconut plants by Haplaxius crudus in Yucatan, Mexico

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Abstract

The coconut palm is an important crop worldwide. In America, it is affected by lethal yellowing (LY) disease, associated with the presence of 16SrIV ribosomal group phytoplasmas. Studies in Florida using insect-proof cages indicate Haplaxius crudus as a vector of LY phytoplasmas to palm species, including coconut. Here, an in vitro transmission system was used to verify that H. crudus collected in Yucatan, Mexico, transmit 16SrIV phytoplasmas to coconut. Three transmission trials were carried out using micropropagated coconut plants. In each trial, at least one plant was positive to 16SrIV phytoplasmas. In total, there were 4 positive plants out of 34 exposed to insects, and the phytoplasma presence was detected in root, stem, and leaf tissues. The phytoplasmas identified were 16SrIV-A and 16SrIV-D, both found in both plants and insects. In each assay where a plant was positive for either 16SrIV-A or 16SrIV-D, the same phytoplasma was present in the insect or insects used in this assay. This is the first demonstration of transmission of LY phytoplasmas to coconut plants by H. crudus in Mexico and with an in vitro system.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Common Fund for Commodities (Stadhouderskade 1072 AB Amsterdam, FIGOOF/22, 2005-2011) and CONACYT-Ciencia Básica (Mexico, CB-2009-01129717, 2010-2014) for partial funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Unidad de Biotecnología, A.C., Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

    María Narváez, Germán Nic-Matos & Carlos Oropeza

Authors
  1. María Narváez
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  2. Germán Nic-Matos
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  3. Carlos Oropeza
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Contributions

MN conducted most of the experiments and drafted the article. GN-M helped conduct the experiments and edited the manuscript. CO coordinated the project, conceived and designed the experiments and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos Oropeza.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the publication of this paper.

Research involving human and animal participants

This article does not contain any studies with human subjects or animal performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Accession numbers: Cocos nucifera: KU666848, KU666849, KU666850 and KU666851. Haplaxius crudus: KJ922137, KJ922138, KJ922139, KJ922140, KJ922141, KJ922142, KJ922143, KJ922144, KJ922145, KJ922146, KJ922147, KJ922148, MZ955627 and MZ955628.

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Narváez, M., Nic-Matos, G. & Oropeza, C. In vitro transmission of 16SrIV phytoplasmas to coconut plants by Haplaxius crudus in Yucatan, Mexico. 3 Biotech 12, 5 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-021-03069-z

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