Molecular detection of ‘<i>Candidatus</i> Phytoplasma australasia’ and ‘<i>Ca.</i> P. cynodontis’ in Iraq
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Abstract<p>The association of phytoplasma was investigated in symptomatic tomato (<italic>Solanum lycopersicum</italic> L.), eggplant (<italic>Solanum melongen</italic> L.), mallow (<italic>Malva</italic> spp.) and Bermuda grass (<italic>Cynodon dactylon</italic> L.) plants exhibiting witches’ broom and white leaf diseases, respectively. Total DNA was extracted from tomato (n=3), eggplant (n=2), mallow (n=2) and Bermuda grass (n=8) samples. Direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using P1/P7 primer set, then PCR products were sequenced. Sequences obtained from tomato, eggplant and mallow shared 99% maximum nucleotide identity with phytoplasma belonging to subgroup 16SrII-D, and resulted therefore ‘<italic>Candidatus</italic> Phytoplasma australasia’-related. Sequences obtained from Bermuda grass showed 100% maximum nucleotide identity to 16SrXIV-A subgroup and were ‘<italic>Ca</italic>. P. cynodontis’-related. The study presents the first molecular confirmation and sequence data of presence of ‘<italic>Ca.</italic> P. australasia’ and ‘<italic>Ca</italic>. P. cynodontis’ in Iraq.</p>
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