Molecular characterization of cucumber mosaic virus isolates infecting ornamental species cultivated in the botanical garden of Bologna university.

During an epidemiological survey carried out in the Botanical Garden at Bologna University, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has been detected by applying PAS-ELISA technique infecting some ornamental species exhibiting a severe symptomatology on the leaves. Datura innoxia Miller. showed mosaic and leaf-curling; Globularia nudicaulis L. produced narrowed leaves with a yellow mosaic and/or variegation; Eupatorium cannabinum L. showed a systemic chlorotic and/or yellow mosaic and stunting. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) were employed to characterise these CMV isolates. Total RNA was extracted from symptomatic leaf samples…

Analisys of a natural population of Cucumber mosaic virus infecting medicinal plants

Glucose, fructose and saccharose metabolism in Dipsacus silvestris infected by Cucumber mosaic virus.

Dipsacus silvestris Miller (or Fuller’s Teasel) (Dipsacaceae) showing stunting, chlorotic leaf mosaic and narrowing of the lamina, has been found for the first time in Italy naturally infected by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). This virus was detected in PAS-ELISA tests and molecularly characterized by applying RT-PCR, using specific primers for the movement protein gene of RNA3 (forward 5’ CTA GGC TTT CCA AGC TAC CAG 3’; reverse 5’ CTA AAG ACC GTT AAC CAC CTG C 3’). The content of glucose, fructose and saccharose, determined by HPLC analysis, was calculated in both healthy (h) and CMV-infected (i) D. silvestris plants during the chronic infection period. An higher content of these carbohydrat…

Globularia nudicaulis, a new host of Cucumber mosaic virus

) is a perennial, foundnaturally on European mountains at altitudes between 900 and 2000 m.In June 2004, G. nudicaulis plants, with a yellow mosaic and/or variega-tion on malformed leaves, were noted among plant species cultivated in theBotanical Garden at Bologna University, Italy. No elongated virus-likeparticles were observed in affected-leaf extracts by transmission electronmicroscopy using a leaf dip method. By applying a protein A sandwichenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PAS-ELISA) technique ( Edwards Csystemic symptoms were observed in Nicotiana tabacum , N. benthamiana ,N. glutinosa, N. clevelandii and Capsicum annuum, and Cucumis sativusand C. melo. Reverse transcription-polymera…

Population genetics of cucumber mosaic virus infecting medicinal, aromatic and ornamental plants from northern Italy

An epidemiological survey carried at the Herb Garden of Casola Valsenio (Emilia Romagna region; Northern Italy) from 2006 to 2009 resulted in finding Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) as the infectious agent of several ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plants. All CMV-infected plant species showed leaf symptoms followed, in some cases, by flower colour-breaking and stunting. Genetic analysis consisted in the characterization of movement protein gene of each CMV-isolate by single strand polymorphism analysis and sequencing. Phylogenetic trees identified only two isolates as member of subgroup II, while all other isolates were part of subgroup IA. This survey confirms an unexpected increment of CM…

Effects of Cucumber mosaic virus and Aster yellows phytoplasma (16SrI-B) on the quality of Echinacea purpurea essential oil.

Echinacea purpurea Moench (L.), known as purple coneflower, is one of the most important medicinal plants, used worldwide for its immunostimulant, bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory properties, as natural drug and/or food supplement (as infusion). In a previous study carried out in 2002 in Italy to verify possible influence of viral infectious on the plant oil composition, the oil from plants (grown at the Herb Garden of Casola Valsenio, Emilia Romagna region) infected by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was compared to the one from healthy plant by combined gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. Significant quantitative variations in their compositions were verified; the infec…

Turnip mosaic virus infecting Eruca sativa in Sicily

In the Spring of 2010, Eruca sativa Mill. (Brassicaceae family), also known as rocket, cultivated in a private garden of Sicily region was found to show a severe virus-like disease consisting of mosaic, interveinal yellowing and/or dark greening areas on crinkled leaves and stunting. Preliminary electron microscopy observations of leaf-dips revealed the presence of flexuous filamentous particles 700-750 nm long. Considering that in 1959, in Italy, this species has been indicated as a natural host of Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), symptomatic leaf samples were serological tested to verify the presence of this potyvirus. Both ISEM and PAS-ELISA analyses were positive to TuMV infection. Mechanica…

Multilocus typing for characterization of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’-related strains in several ornamental species in Italy

Different ornamental plants showing symptoms referable to phytoplasma presence and collected between 1993 and 2015 in various floricultural areas in north and south of Italy, enclosing Sicily, resulted to be infected by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’-related strains, and after PCR/RFLP identification on 16Sr gene were assigned to 16SrI-B subgroup. These infected samples were employed for phytoplasma strain differentiation on tuf, groel, rp and amp genes. In particular, the 23 phytoplasma strains employed were from hydrangea (5), primula (3), gentian (2), petunia (2) and gerbera (1) samples showing flower virescence; from gladiolus samples both in vivo and in micropropagation (2) showing t…

Stephanotis floribunda infetta da TSWV in Liguria.

Il genere Stephanotis (famiglia delle Asclepiadaceae ) comprende cinque specie di piante rampicanti, sempreverdi, originarie del Madagascar. La più nota ed apprezzata è la specie S. floribunda Brongn., i cui fiori tubulosi, bianchi, leggermente carnosi, riuniti in ombrelle ascellari, sbocciano da maggio ad ottobre emanando un intenso e gradevole profumo. Questi fiori ricordano molto quelli del gelsomino, pur essendo più grandi e cerosi, ma questa somiglianza è bastata ad attribuire alla pianta l’appellativo “gelsomino del Madagascar”. S. floribunda costituisce una coltura di recente introduzione nella Piana di Albenga (Savona): la sua coltivazione è per ora limitata a poche aziende che prod…

Hydrolate and EO Application to Reduce Decay of Carica papaya during Storage

Postharvest fruit loss is caused by the absence of advanced handling and storage technologies and the quiescent presence of fungal pathogens. Therefore, there is a growing demand for sustainable decisions for the planet. This study focused on the use of two types of edible coatings: one was based on the essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. viridulum with Aloe arborescens Mill. gel (EC1), and the other was based on the hydrolate only (EC2). These treatments were applied to provide defense against fungal infections in papaya (Carica papaya L. cv Solo), and the storage time was 25 days (T5 ± 1 °C). Fruits coated with EC1 were more contaminated with fungal pathogens than both control (CT…