Transmission of a sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma by the delphacid planthopper Saccharosydne saccharivora, a new vector of sugarcane yellow leaf syndrome

During surveys of sugarcane fields in western and central Cuba from December 2001 to March 2003, the delphacid planthopper Saccharosydne saccharivora was the most prevalent of the Auchenorrhyncha fauna surveyed. Individuals of S. saccharivora collected tested positive for the sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma (SCYLP). Saccharosydne saccharivora were reared in cages and used for experimental transmission studies of SCYLP. The S. saccharivora were given acquisition-access feeds of 72 h on SCYLP-infected canes collected from the field followed by an inoculation-access period of 15 days on healthy sugarcane seedlings. Symptoms of yellow leaf syndrome developed on 24 out of 36 plants, 7–12 months postinoculation. None of the 36 healthy seedlings that were inoculated with S. saccharivora fed on phytoplasma-free sugarcane developed symptoms. All phytoplasma-positive sugarcane and S. saccharivora samples showed identical RFLP patterns and had 99·89% similarity in their 16S/23S spacer-region sequences, but only 92·6–93·6% similarity with other phytoplasmas. Sequences were deposited with GenBank [accession numbers: AY725237 ( S. saccharivora ) and AY257548 (sugarcane)]. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the phytoplasmas from sugarcane and S. saccharivora are putative members of a new 16Sr phytoplasma group. This is the first report of vector transmission of a phytoplasma associated with sugarcane yellow leaf syndrome and the first time that S. saccharivora has been shown to vector a phytoplasma.     

桃红叶植原体检测及鉴定

对表现红叶的桃植株进行植原体16SrRNA基因PCR扩增,得到1.2kb的特异片段.将此片段与pGEM T Easy载体连接并转化到大肠杆茵DH5α感受态细胞中.通过酶切、PCR鉴定,对筛选得到的重组阳性克隆进行序列测定及同源性比较分析,确定该株系属于翠菊黄化植原体组(Aster yellows group,16SrI).在国内首次报道了翠菊黄化组中的植原体侵染桃树.     

甘蔗白叶病植原体巢式PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用

甘蔗白叶病(sugarcane white leaf,SCWL)是由植原体引起的重要甘蔗病害[1],广泛分布在印度、泰国等许多国家[1,2].我国甘蔗产区的栽培品种也有SCWL的发生[3].甘蔗是无性繁殖作物,植原体可通过繁殖种苗进行传播,台湾斑纹叶蝉(Matsumuratetlix hiroglyhious)通过咬食感染甘蔗植株的韧皮部可引起该病害[4].     

Detection and characterization of a phytoplasma associated with annual blue grass (Poa annua) white leaf disease in southern Italy

A phytoplasma was detected in annual blue grass (Poa annua L. Fienardo), exhibiting white leaf symptoms, that was grown in the fields near Caserta in southern Italy. Based on restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA sequences, the phytoplasma associated with annual blue grass white leaf disease was identified as a new member of phytoplasma 16S rRNA group XI (16SrXI) (type strain, rice yellow dwarf phytoplasma). The annual blue grass white leaf phytoplasma is most closely related to Bermuda grass white leaf phytoplasma found in Asia. Annul blue grass white leaf and Bermuda grass white leaf phytoplasmas were designated as the third subgroup (16SrXI-C) of group XI. This is the first report that a plant pathogenic phytoplasma belonging to group 16SrXI is present on the European continent.     

Detection of Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus in Tunisia

Surveys were undertaken for tomato yellow leaf curl viruses in the main Tunisian tomato-growing areas in fields and plastic houses. Symptoms included yellowing, leaf curling and stunting. Collected samples were submitted to molecular analysis using two approaches: (1) hybridization tests with two DNA probes corresponding to an intergenic region derived from a cloned dimer of an Egyptian full-length TYLCV and to the coat region of a Tunisian TYLCV isolate; (2) PCR amplification coupled to RFLP allowing both identification and clustering of Tunisian isolates. Only Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus was detected in Tunisia.     

Detection and typing of tomato yellow leaf curl viruses

The denomination Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) comprises several viruses that cause severe damage to tomato crops in warm and temperate regions worldwide. TYLCV viruses are widespread in the Mediterranean Basin, in which two species have been reported: Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV) and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV, previously TYLCV-Is). The availability of methods convenient for the diagnosis of these viruses is essential. We have investigated several alternatives for reliable detection and differentiation of TYLCSV and TYLCV. Triple-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELISA) proved to be very useful for large-scale diagnosis in field situations, but lacked discriminating capacity and sensitivity in the stages of infection in which low virus titre is present. The DNA-based methods are suited to laboratory operations and plant disease clinics, where accuracy of detection and discrimination of viruses is required. Polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) was the most reliable method to discriminate between TYLCSV and TYLCV, but is not suited to high sample turnover. For large-scale testing, tissue print hybridization assay provides a reliable and sensitive alternative to PCR.     

Detection of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus in imported tomato fruit in northern Europe

Imported tomato fruits infected with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) were identified on the market in northern Europe using paper‐based FTA Classic Cards (Whatman), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and partial DNA sequence analysis. Trade tomatoes originating from southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East were sampled in Estonia and Sweden, and tested for infection with begomoviruses. Out of 100 batches analysed with five fruits sampled in each batch (58 batches from Estonia and 42 from Sweden), 20 batches were positive (16 from Estonia and four from Sweden). Rolling circle amplification (RCA) and full‐length genome sequence analysis of one isolate collected in Estonia and one isolate in Sweden, revealed highest nucleotide sequence identity at 99% to TYLCV‐IL for the Estonian isolate and at 97% to TYLCV‐Mld for the Swedish isolate. In this study, TYLCV was identified for the first time in imported tomato fruits on the market in northern Europe. FTA cards proved to be an effective means to collect, extract and store begomovirus DNA from tomato fruits and the subsequent molecular analysis.     

广东黄秋葵黄脉曲叶病样中检测到烟粉虱传双生病毒

黄秋葵是近几年来从日本和我国台湾引进的一种蔬菜作物。近期,广东的黄秋葵上发生了黄脉曲叶病。病株的典型症状表现为叶脉黄化,在叶片正面形成网络状,在叶背面叶脉肿大突起明显,病株幼叶小且向下卷曲,甚至整片幼叶黄化。植株早期被感染表现矮化。在发生黄脉曲叶病的黄秋葵田间,其病株率高达60%以上。用烟粉虱传双生病毒简并引物对随机采集的病样进行PCR检测,从这些病样中均能扩增出1条预期大小为570 bp的特异片段;基因克隆及测序分析结果表明,与该特异片段同源的均属双生病毒科菜豆金色花叶病毒属病毒DNA,其中与木尔坦棉花曲叶病毒（Cotton leaf curl Multan virus, CLCuMV）分离物G6相似性最高,为99%。这些研究结果表明,广东黄秋葵黄脉曲叶病中存在烟粉虱传双生病毒,该病害可能也是由CLCuMV侵染引起的。     

Movement of aphid-transmitted Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (ScYLV) within and between sugarcane plants

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (ScYLV) is distributed worldwide and has been shown to be the cause of the disease sugarcane yellow leaf syndrome (YLS). This study was an investigation of the transmission and spread of ScYLV in Hawaii. Several aphids are known to transmit the virus, but investigation of infestation and transmission efficiency showed Melanaphis sacchari to be the only vector important for field spread of the disease. The initial multiplication of ScYLV in a virus-free plant occurred exclusively in very young sink tissues. When a single leaf was inoculated on a plant, that leaf and all older leaves remained virus-free, based on tissue-blot immunoassay, whereas meristems and all subsequently formed new leaves became infected. Therefore, only after those leaves which had already developed before inoculation had been shed, did the complete plant contain ScYLV. Spread of the viral infection to neighbouring plants in the plantation fields via aphids was relatively slow and in the range of a few metres per year. No indication of long-distance transfer could be seen. This indicates that it may be possible to produce and use virus-free seed cane for planting of high-yielding but YLS-susceptible cultivars.     

Detection of Xylophilus ampelinus in grapevine cuttings using a nested polymerase chain reaction

A sensitive and specific assay was developed to detect bacterial blight of grapevine caused by Xylophilus ampelinus (Panagopoulos, 1969) comb. nov. in grapevine cuttings. The 16S−23S rDNA intergenic spacer region of X. ampelinus was sequenced and pathogen-specific primers were designed from a region in the spacer between the tRNA (Ala) and the 23S genes. A nested PCR (n-PCR) reaction was applied with a first-stage PCR using universal primers within the ends of the 16S and 23S genes, followed by a second-stage PCR with nested primers specific to the X. ampelinus spacer region. A 277-bp fragment was amplified from 38 Xylophilus strains tested, but not from saprophytes associated with grapevine or phylogenetically related phytobacteria. The 277-bp product was shown to be derived from the X. ampelinus spacer region by restriction with Dra I, Sau 3AI, Taq I and Msp I, Southern hybridization and genomic DNA dot blots. When the (n-PCR) procedure was applied in the absence of nontarget DNA, the limit of detection was less than 10 colony-forming units (CFU) per µ L. The same number of  X. ampelinus CFU could be detected in the presence of 1·5 × 10⁵ CFU  µ L⁻¹ of Erwinia herbicola cells using the n-PCR procedure.     

北京地区番茄黄化曲叶病病毒分离物测定及株系的初步鉴定

 番茄黄化曲叶病毒病是番茄生产中的一种毁灭性病毒病害,2009年传入北京。利用烟粉虱传双生病毒简并引物PA/PB对2010年~2011年采集自北京市5个区县的53个番茄样品进行检测,30个表现典型黄化曲叶病症状的样品均扩增得到约500 bp的特异条带,测定了其中7个样品的部分序列,经序列比对分析表明其为番茄黄化曲叶病毒（Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, TYLCV）。利用TYLCV特异引物TJ-F/TJ-R、TY-F/TY-R对样品BJDXXY、BJFS02、BJFS03、BJMY2231进行TYLCV基因组克隆和序列测定,经分析4个样品携带的TYLCV基因组长度均为2 781碱基,编码6个蛋白。基因组序列比较发现,这4个分离物与TYLCV-Israel株系同源性达到98%以上;通过建立系统发育树,发现BJDXXY、BJFS02、BJFS03与河北分离物（HBLF4）、山东分离物（SDSG）亲缘关系较近,BJMY2231与上海分离物（TYLCV-Israel）、江苏分离物（JSNJ1）亲缘关系较近。     

Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Is a Dead-End Host for Tomato yellow leaf curl virus

ABSTRACT Tomato yellow leaf curl (TYLC) is one of the most devastating pathogens affecting tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) worldwide. The disease is caused by a complex of begomovirus species, two of which, Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV) and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), are responsible for epidemics in Southern Spain. TYLCV also has been reported to cause severe damage to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) crops. Pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants collected from commercial crops were found to be infected by isolates of two TYLCV strains: TYLCV-Mld[ES01/99], an isolate of the mild strain similar to other TYLCVs isolated from tomato crops in Spain, and TYLCV-[Alm], an isolate of the more virulent TYLCV type strain, not previously reported in the Iberian Peninsula. In this work, pepper, Nicotiana benthamiana, common bean, and tomato were tested for susceptibility to TYLCV-Mld[ES01/99]and TYLCV-[Alm] by Agrobacterium tumefaciens infiltration, biolistic bombardment, or Bemisia tabaci inoculation. Results indicate that both strains are able to infect plants of these species, including pepper. This is the first time that infection of pepper plants with TYLCV clones has been shown. Implications of pepper infection for the epidemiology of TYLCV are discussed.     

Symptom expression of yellow leaf disease in sugarcane cultivars with different degrees of infection by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (ScYLV) is present in many sugarcane growing areas of the world. It is suspected to cause yellow leaf disease (formerly called YLS, yellow leaf syndrome) of sugarcane. This study investigated symptom expression in a selection of cultivars classified into three groups; ScYLV-susceptible/infected, ScYLV-resistant and intermediately infected cultivars grown in plantation fields in the islands of Hawaii. Incidence of yellow leaf symptoms was correlated, though not tightly, to the presence of ScYLV. The correlation is based on two factors: (i) only ScYLV-infected cultivars (from both susceptible and intermediate groups) showed severe symptom expression, and (ii) ScYLV-infected plants had four times higher symptom incidence than virus-free plants of the same cultivar. The yellow leaf symptom expression fluctuated, peaking at 200, 350, 500 and 600 days after planting. These symptom peaks were correlated with an increase of ScYLV content in the intermediately infected group of cultivars. No nutritional, environmental or field factor could be identified which clearly influenced symptom expression. It is speculated that the symptom expression is elicited by assimilate backup in the stalks and that the fluctuation of symptom expression is caused by the growth rhythm of mature sugarcane stalks.