1Department of Plant Pathology, S.V. Agric. College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati-517502, Andhra Pradesh, India
2Department of Plant Pathology, Agric. College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Mahanandi-518502, Andhra Pradesh, India
3Department of Entomology, S.V. Agric. College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati-517502, Andhra Pradesh, India
4Plant Pathology, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Nandyal-518503, Andhra Pradesh, India
5Administrative Office, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur-522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author e-mail: Manyam Pradeep (m.pradeep@angrau.ac.in)
Online published on 5 March, 2025.
Suspected phytoplasma symptoms of leaf chlorosis, witches’ broom and little leaf were recorded in Cleome viscosa and Croton sparsiflora weeds near chickpea fields in Andhra Pradesh. The symptomatic weed species were analyzed for phytoplasma presence through nested PCR assays by utilizing universal phytoplasma specific primer pairs, P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2 and resulted positive. The phytoplasma identification was further achieved by using five genes secA, rp, imp, tuf and secY. The results of the multilocus gene amplification indicates that phytoplasmas belonging to 16SrII group were present in the tested materials. The presence of phytoplasmas in weeds near chickpea fields poses a risk for disease transmission through phloem-feeding insect vectors, such as leafhoppers and planthoppers, which are known to transmit phytoplasmas over short and long distances.
Molecular characterization, PCR, Multilocus analyses, Sequencing
