Detection and molecular characterization of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ in apricot and plum orchards of Nigde, Turkey

This study was conducted to evaluate the European stone fruit yellows disease associated with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ presence in apricot and plum trees grown in Nigde province of Turkey. A comprehensive study was conducted in 18 orchards from 4 districts. Leaf-rolling symptoms only were observed in orchards. The presence of the ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ was detected utilizing nested PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. Ten out of 41 samples from both symptomatic and asymptomatic plant samples resulted positive to the phytoplasma presence. ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ was identified in samples from five out of 23 apricot and five out of 18 plum trees in both the Ulukisla and Central districts therefore the overall percentage of infected plants was 24.39%. This suggest that this phytoplasma must be considered as a significant potential threat to these locations because of its transmission by insect vectors. Careful and proactive investigation of the aforementioned pathogen is imperative, as its potential to spread to neighboring areas and amplify the pathogenicity of other possible pathogens underscores the need for a comprehensive mapping of the dynamics of pest and pathogen transmission in the region.