MICROPROPAGATION FOR MAINTENANCE OF MYCOPLASMA-LIKE ORGANISMS IN INFECTED PRUNUS MARIANNA GF 8-1

By micropropagation of plant tissues infected with mycoplasma-like organisms (MLOs), a collection of these non-culturable plant pathogens was maintained in Prunus marianna GF 8-1. The causal agents of different decline diseases occuring on Prunus species could thus be studied in vitro. Shoot tips have been cultured and subcultured on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for at least two years.
Diseased shoots still exhibited typical symptoms like smaller leaves, leaf roll and stunted growth.
The presence of MLOs in the micropropagated plants was confirmed by amplification of the MLO-16S rRNA gene using the polymerase chain reaction.
The concentration of MLOs in the sieve tubes was estimated using DAPI staining.
In plants with spontaneously occuring roots MLOs were found to be equally distributed in roots and shoots.
A successfull transfer of these rooted vitroplants into the greenhouse is affected by high concentrations of MLOs.

V International Symposium on Plum and Prune Genetic, Breeding and Pomology

W. Jarausch, M. Lansac, F. Dosba

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.359.25