1Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi-110012, India
2Horticultural Research Station, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticulture University, Madanapalli-534101, Andhra Pradesh, India
3Department of Plant Pathology, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati-522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author e-mail: Shivani Gupta (sivani849@gmail.com)
Online published on 5 March, 2025.
In recent years tomato big bud (TBB), a phytoplasma-associated disease has been noticed as alarming in several districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. Field surveys in mid-2024 across the Tirupati and Annamaya districts revealed an incidence of tomato big bud disease ranging from 32–100% with phyllody symptoms in tomato hybrid variety, Saaho (TO 3250). The phytoplasma presence was investigated employing universal phytoplasma specific nested primer pairs, from TBB symptomatic samples from both Tirupati and Annamaya districts. The BLAST analysis of 16Sr RNA gene sequences of TBB phytoplasma strains from both the surveyed districts showed 97.39-97.47% sequence identity with ‘Ca. P. australasiaticum’ reference strain. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of detected TBB strains confirmed the presence of 16SrII-related phytoplasma strains.
Outbreak, 16Sr RNA gene, PCR, Sequencing, Phylogeny
