Molecular characterization of Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia isolate infecting chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in Dharwad, Karnataka

Abstract

Chickpea plants showing phytoplasma symptoms were observed in the research plots at University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India. The symptoms included phyllody, pale green leaves, bushy appearance and excessive axillary proliferation. The causal agent of the phyllody disease was identified based on symptoms, amplification of 16S rDNA of the phytoplasma by nested PCR with primers P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2 and 1,800 bp and 1,200 bp size products were amplified in first round PCR and nested-PCR respectively. The PCR product was sequenced and compared with the reference phytoplasma sequences collected from the database (NCBI). 16S rDNA sequences of Dharwad chickpea phytoplasma shared the highest nucleotide identity of (>98%) with Periwinkle phyllody16SrII-E (EU096500). This study indicated the association of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ the 16SrII-E group infecting chickpea from Northern Karnataka.