‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi’ co-cultivation from micropropagated jujube witches’ broom infected shoots

The aim of the study was to isolate and cultivate Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi’ (16SrV-B) from in vitro propagated jujube shoots deriving from plants exhibiting witches’ broom symptoms. As a result, liquid cultures containing ‘Ca. P. ziziphi’ along with at least one bacterial species, Pseudomonas sp., were obtained. Subsequently, it was possible to obtain colonies on solid medium, in which the presence of ‘Ca. P. ziziphi’ was confirmed alongside a predominant Pseudomonas species bacteria using PCR and sequencing methods. The study demonstrated the possibility of maintaining live cells of ‘Ca. P. ziziphi’ in artificial nutrient medium, supported by the presence of Pseudomonas species, which very likely supplies the phytoplasma cells with metabolites essential for their survival.