Detection of Stolbur phytoplasma on blackberry: A new natural host in Serbia

Abstract

During the late summer of 2007, a severe phytoplasma-like disease was observed for the first time in blackberry plants (Rubus fruticosus), commercial cv. Čačanska beztrna. Redness and downward rolling of leaves were symptoms observed in three localities in Central Serbia. The presence of Stolbur phytoplasma, belonging to the taxonomic subgroup 16SrXII-A, in diseased samples was confirmed by the PCR - RFLP analysis of 16S rDNA genes and elongation factor Tu (tuf) gene. A sequence analysis of the tuf gene confirmed homology with phytoplasmas stolbur tuf-type II detected previously in Italian grapevines and red clovers in the Czech Republic. This is the first report of Stolbur phytoplasma 16SrXII-A group tuf-type II on blackberries in Serbia.

Simptomi nalik fitoplazmi prvi put su uočeni tokom leta 2007 g. na kupini (Rubus fruticosus) sorte Čačanska beztrna. Crvenilo i uvrtanje listova kao najčešći simptomi primećeni su na 3 lokaliteta u centralnoj Srbiji. Prisustvo Stolbur fitoplazme, koja pripada 16SrXII-A taksonomskoj podgrupi, utvrđeno je PCR - RFLP analizom 16S rDNK gena i gena za elongacioni faktor Tu (tuf) u uzorcima sa izraženim simptomima. Potvrđena je homologija dobijene sekvence tuf gena sa fitoplazmama Stolbur tuf- II tipa detektovanim na vinovoj lozi u Italiji i crvenoj detelini u Češkoj Republici. Ovo je prvi nalaz Stolbur fitoplazme 16SrXII-A grupe tuf- II tipa na kupini u Srbiji.