Phytopathogenic Mollicutes

A disease with symptoms similar to palm lethal yellowing was observed in Iran in date palm. Symptomatic trees showed a variable incidence and severity of streak yellows. Molecular analyses detected the presence of two phytoplasmas in groups 16SrVI and 16SrVII, respectively. Possible insect vectors were collected from infected plants and identified. Through the collected insect samples, the specimens of 4 species were positive to phytoplasma presence. The sequencing analysis showed the presence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ in Tropidocephala prasina that can be considered a putative vector for one of the palm streak yellows associated phytoplasmas.