Molecular analysis of ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ associated with phytoplasma diseases in Myanmar

During 2010 and 2011, typical phytoplasma disease symptoms such as little leaves, phyllody and witches’ brooms were observed on black gram, green gram, long bean, shaggy button weed and sesame plants from different regions of Myanmar. The symptomatic samples were analyzed by PCR using universal phytoplasma primers and characterized by sequencing 16S rRNA, ribosomal protein and translocase protein genes. Based on sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the three genes, the phytoplasmas associated with those plants belonged to members of ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’. To our knowledge, black gram and shaggy button are new hosts for ‘ Ca . P. aurantifolia’.