Articles
POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN THE RARE PLANT TAXON “FRAGARIA MULTICIPITA” IN CANADA AND A DISEASE PROBLEM IN STRAWBERRY IN FLORIDA
Article number
471_1
Pages
25 – 30
Language
Abstract
The rare plant taxon, Fragaria multicipita Fernald, is characterized by dwarfing, a cushion-like growth habit with multiple crowns, lack of runners, and development of floral aberrations.
Through the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP based analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences, we found the unusual, but species diagnostic, vegetative morphology of F. multicipita to be associated with a previously undescribed phytoplasma that is capable of inducing the same vegetative morphotype in healthy strawberry plants (F. chiloensis) grafted with tissues from F. multicipita. Analyses of 16S rDNA indicated that the F. multicipita phytoplasma was phylogenetically related to, but distinct from, clover proliferation (CP) phytoplasma reported in Canada.
During simultaneous investigations of a strawberry disease problem in winter production fields in Florida, we found phytoplasmas including strains FLmulti1 and FLmulti2 associated with symptoms of strawberry multiplier disease.
On the basis of RFLP analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA, we concluded that strains FLmulti1 and FLmulti2 were very similar or identical to the F. multicipita phytoplasma.
These and other findings indicate a possible link between phytoplasma strains found in Canada and phytoplasma strains found in diseased strawberry plants in Florida; such a link may be an evolutionary/taxonomic one and/or an epidemiological one.
Through the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP based analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences, we found the unusual, but species diagnostic, vegetative morphology of F. multicipita to be associated with a previously undescribed phytoplasma that is capable of inducing the same vegetative morphotype in healthy strawberry plants (F. chiloensis) grafted with tissues from F. multicipita. Analyses of 16S rDNA indicated that the F. multicipita phytoplasma was phylogenetically related to, but distinct from, clover proliferation (CP) phytoplasma reported in Canada.
During simultaneous investigations of a strawberry disease problem in winter production fields in Florida, we found phytoplasmas including strains FLmulti1 and FLmulti2 associated with symptoms of strawberry multiplier disease.
On the basis of RFLP analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA, we concluded that strains FLmulti1 and FLmulti2 were very similar or identical to the F. multicipita phytoplasma.
These and other findings indicate a possible link between phytoplasma strains found in Canada and phytoplasma strains found in diseased strawberry plants in Florida; such a link may be an evolutionary/taxonomic one and/or an epidemiological one.
Authors
Robert E. Davis, R. Jomantiene, Ellen L. Dally, Daniel E. Legard, John L. Maas, Joseph D. Postman
Keywords
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