A brief review on molecular detection and characterization of phytoplasma associated with pulses

Abstract

In India phytoplasma associated with plants including crops, fruits, trees, ornamental, sugarcane, grasses and weeds was increasing at alarming rate. Recent evidences showed that phytoplasma associated with pulse crops in India. Phytoplasma cause diseases in pulse crops are chances to causing severe losses. In earlier days very few phytoplasma diseases were identified in India based on bright field, fluorescence, electron microscope observations, tetracycline treatment and to a lesser extent by serological assays. Among these, microscopic methods do not attain pathogen identification, and all of them are not always sufficiently sensitive to detect phytoplasma infections in low titer hosts. Today detection of phytoplasma based on molecular methods including PCR assays are efficiently carried out in India and based on this technique phytoplasma infection on pulse crops was reported in India. The “Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris”, “Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia” belong to 16SrI and 16SrII group of phytoplasmas are the major groups associated with pulse crops reported to be infected with phytoplasma throughout India. In this paper, we have discussed on phytoplasma disease on pulse crops in India.