0000000000671032
AUTHOR
Assunta Bertaccini
Characterization of a Cucumber mosaic virus isolate infecting Mandevilla sanderi (Hemsl.) Woodson
In 2004, virus-like symptoms consisting of yellow rings in older leaves were observed in the foliage of Mandevilla sanderi grown from shoots in the province of Catania (Sicily, Italy). The plants were tested for virus presence using DAS-ELISA, mechanical inoculations to the host, RT-PCR and SSCP. Serological tests detected Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in all symptomatic leaf samples. The virus was mechanically transmitted to 11 of the 15 host species tested, including some of the Chenopodiaceae and Solanaceae families; indicator plants showed symptoms typical of CMV subgroup I. RT-PCR, SSCP and cloning were employed to characterize this CMV isolate, and to make clear its genetic relationship…
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…
Virescence of tenweeks stock associated to phytoplasma infection in Sicily
In April 2007, a severe disease occurred in Sicily (Italy) in a glasshouse cultivation of tenweeks stock belonging to the cultivar White-Beach. Plants were stunted and rosetted, and the flowers were of small size and characterized by virescence symptoms. Phytoplasma presence and identity was detected by applying PCR/RFLP techniques and sequencing of 16S ribosomal gene. Phytoplasmas were identified as belonging to ribosomal subgroup 16SrII-A, never reported before in Italy and showed 99% of homology with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ and related phytoplasmas. This is the first report of a phytoplasma disease of tenweeks stock. Considering that this Brassicaceae ornamental species is …
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…