Molecular identification of phytoplasmas in ornamental pomegranates in Turkey

Abstract

Abstract Author keywords SciVal Topics Metrics Funding details Abstract Leaves, flowers and shoots of ornamental pomegranates showing yellowing and leaf deformation were collected from symptomatic and non-symptomatic plants between 2015 and 2017 from Hatay, Sanliurfa and Gebze provinces of Turkey. Among the 20 tested pomegranate samples, 10 were positive for phytoplasmas using 16R758f/16R1232r and U5/U3 primers amplifying 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The sequences of 8 strains shared the closest nucleotide identity (99%) with phytoplasmas in group 16SrIX and the remaining 2 strains had 98% identity with the ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (subgroup 16SrXII-A). The present study represents the first evidence of phytoplasma association with yellowing symptoms in ornamental pomegranates in Turkey. © 2019, Technology Society of Basic and Applied Sciences.