ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Molecular identification of a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ (16SrVI-D) strain associated with Scurfy pea (Cullen corylifolium) phyllody and witches’ broom in India
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Raj Verma 1, A-B,E-F
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Anil Khar 1, E-F
 
 
 
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Regional Station, Pune, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, I.T.I Road, 411067, Pune, India
 
 
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
 
 
Submission date: 2025-09-15
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-12-10
 
 
Online publication date: 2025-12-22
 
 
Corresponding author
Savarni Tripathi   

Regional Station, Pune, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, I.T.I Road, 411067, Pune, India
 
 
 
HIGHLIGHTS
  • First report of 16SrVI-D phytoplasma infecting Cullen corylifolium globally
  • Indicates broadening of host range of 16SrVI-D phytoplasma
  • Pune strain threatens bakuchiol production by impeding pod and seed formation
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Scurfy pea (Cullen corylifolium (L.) Medik.) plants exhibiting symptoms of phyllody and witches’ broom indicative of phytoplasma infection were observed in the research field of ICAR – Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Pune (Maharashtra, India). Phytoplasma presence in all symptomatic samples was confirmed through PCR and nested PCR assay using phytoplasma-specific primer pairs P1/P7 and R16F2n/R2. BLASTn analysis revealed that the amplicon sequence shares more than 99% identity with known strains of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ sequences. Phylogenetic analysis further clustered the sequence of the phytoplasma strain within the ‘Ca. Phytoplasma’ species while virtual RFLP analysis assigned it to the 16SrVI-D subgroup. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first worldwide report of 16SrVI-D phytoplasma associated with phyllody and witches’ broom in C. corylifolium.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist.
eISSN:1899-007X
ISSN:1427-4345
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