1Department of Plant Pathology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
2Department of Plant Pathology, Biswanath College, Assam Agricultural University, Biswanath, Assam, India
3Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India
*Corresponding author e-mail: Jutimala Phookan (phookan.jutimala@gmail.com)
Online published on 25 July, 2019.
Different leafhopper species transmitting sesame phyllody phytoplasma were reported. Leafhoppers were collected from sesame phyllody infected field at different time interval and their population was recorded. Four leafhopper species were predominantly observed in the field conditions: Hishimonus phycitis, Exitianus indicus, Cofana unimaculata and Nephotettix nigropictus. Transmission studies were carried out by giving an acquisition and inoculation feeding period of 7 days each. Among all the leafhoppers, H. phycitis was found to transmit sesame phyllody phytoplasma (83.33%) to healthy sesame plants as confirmed by PCR and nested PCR assays followed by sequencing. The BLAST analysis of 16S rDNA sequences from H. phycitis confirmed the phytoplasma presence indicating that is clusters with the aster yellows phytoplasmas.
Sesame phyllody, phytoplasma, transmission, leafhoppers, Hishimonus phycitis
