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Spatial distribution of the different strains of the distinct coconut lethal yellowing-type phytoplasma species associated with the syndrome in Tanzania

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Abstract

Phytoplasmas are associated with the lethal disease of coconut palms in Tanzania (LDT). It is a destructive lethal yellowing-type syndrome (LYTS) exhibiting differences in losses between the southern districts and the northern districts. To explain these differences, the existence of variable pathogenic strains of the LDT phytoplasma was investigated using ribosomal RNA gene PCR primers. A total of 84 samples were collected from 67 palms in 14 coastal districts of Tanzania, including the low, moderate, and high incidence areas. Of these, 38 samples were studied in detail. Detected phytoplasma rDNA was characterized by either sequencing of the PCR products and/or restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Sequence analysis of the P1/P7-primed PCR products revealed several positions of variability, making it possible to distinguish two main geographical clusters. The northern cluster included samples from Tanga region only and is associated with low/moderate disease incidence. A second larger cluster included samples from the rest of the coastline between Bagamoyo and Mtwara. Five genotypes could be identified based on mutations/deletions in the P1/P7 PCR product, two within the northern cluster, and three within the southern cluster. The geographical distribution of the two clusters and the genotypes could be related to the history of coconut introductions in Tanzania. The sequences obtained also confirm that the phytoplasmas associated with LDT are significantly different from all of the other phytoplasmas associated with coconut lethal yellowing-type syndromes worldwide, and it is proposed that these phytoplasmas should be classified into their own 16Sr group.

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Acknowledgements

Financial and logistical support from CIRAD for Dr. Mpunami to work at CIRAD is highly acknowledged. MD thanks his colleague Denis Depommier, Cirad regional Director in Kenya, for his precious help in setting up our visit to Tanzania, and later for his support in setting up AM’s stay at Cirad in Montpellier. Technical support from Joel Erasto in DNA extraction and Gideon Nyalusi for sampling in the southern regions are also appreciated. FP acknowledges funding by the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund, the Conseil Régional de La Réunion, and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD).

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Author notes

  1. Fabian Pilet

    Present address: UMR PVBMT, CIRAD, 97410, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France

  2. Sandrine Fabre

    Present address: UMR BGPI, CIRAD, 34398, Montpellier, France

  3. Michel Dollet

    Present address: Quarantine and plant health, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 6226, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

    Anatolia Mpunami & Allois Kullaya

  2. UMR IPME, CIRAD, 34398, Montpellier, France

    Fabian Pilet, Sandrine Fabre & Michel Dollet

  3. Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK

    Matthew Dickinson

Authors
  1. Anatolia Mpunami
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  2. Fabian Pilet
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  3. Sandrine Fabre
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  4. Allois Kullaya
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  5. Matthew Dickinson
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  6. Michel Dollet
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Contributions

AM: field survey, investigation, review and editing. FP: investigation, validation, visualization, co-writing—original draft, review and editing. SF: resources, investigation, validation. AK: field survey, project administration (Tanzania), resources. Matthew D: investigation, supervision, validation, visualization, review and editing. Michel D: conceptualization, project administration (France), funding acquisition, resources, investigation, supervision, validation, visualization, co-writing—original draft, review and editing.

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Correspondence to Michel Dollet.

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Mpunami, A., Pilet, F., Fabre, S. et al. Spatial distribution of the different strains of the distinct coconut lethal yellowing-type phytoplasma species associated with the syndrome in Tanzania. Trop. plant pathol. 46, 207–217 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40858-020-00407-z

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