Characterization and classification of phytoplasmas from wild and cultivated plants by RFLP and sequence analysis of ribosomal DNA

Restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequence analysis of PCR-amplified ribosomal DNA were used to identify and classify phytoplasmas associated with diseases of various wild and cultivated plants. The diseases examined were either not known before or the presumable causal agents were not yet identified and characterized or were only known from other geographic areas. New diseases examined were those causing virescence and phyllody of Bunias orientalis and Cardaria draba. Both were associated with strains of the aster yellows phytoplasma. The same type of aster yellows phytoplasma was also found to be associated with yellows and phyllody diseases of Portulaca oleracea, Stellaria media, Daucus carota ssp. sativus, and Cyclamen persicum. In German and French DNA samples from diseased Trifolium repens, the clover phyllody phytoplasma was identified, which could clearly be distinguished from other phytoplasmas of the aster yellows group. Strains of the stolbur phytoplasma were detected in big bud-affected tomatoes and almost exclusively in Convolvulus arvensis. In Cirsium arvense and Picris echioides two distinct phytoplasmas were identified which showed relationship to the sugarcane white leaf phytoplasma group but may represent a new group or subgroup. In Conyza (syn.: Erigeron) canadensis a phytoplasma of the X-disease group was detected. A strain from Gossypium hirsutum showed the same restriction profiles as the faba bean phyllody phytoplasma.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]