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Occurrence and distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ associated with diseases of solanaceous crops in Lebanon

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Abstract

A survey for phytoplasma diseases in tomato and pepper fields in Lebanon was conducted during 2003 and 2004. Tomato plants with stunting, yellowing or purplish leaves, proliferation of laterals buds, hypertrophic calyxes and virescent flowers were found in 25% of the tomato fields surveyed, where they represented 2–8% of the plants. Pepper plants displaying stunting and yellowing of leaves, were found in 27% of the fields and 1–4% of the plants were affected. Phytoplasmas infecting tomato and pepper had identical 16S-rDNA RFLP profiles and sequences. A phytoplasma isolate named PTL was transmitted by dodder from a diseased tomato plant to a periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) plant in which it induced leaf yellowing, virescence and phyllody. 16S-rDNA phylogenetic analysis classified PTL as a strain of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the French Ministère des Affaires Étrangères and by the European Union (Projet CEDRE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, Tal Amara, PO Box 287, Zahle, Lebanon

    Elia Choueiri, Fouad Jreijiri, Souheir El Zammar & Randa Massaad

  2. Faculté des Sciences II, Université Libanaise, Fanar, Liban

    Hani Abdul-Nour

  3. UMR Génomique Diversité et Pouvoir Pathogène, INRA Université Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2, BP 81, 33883, Villenave d’Ornon cedex, France

    Pascal Salar, Joseph-Marie Bové, Jean-Luc Danet & Xavier Foissac

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  1. Elia Choueiri
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  2. Pascal Salar
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  3. Fouad Jreijiri
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  4. Souheir El Zammar
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  5. Randa Massaad
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  6. Hani Abdul-Nour
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  8. Jean-Luc Danet
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  9. Xavier Foissac
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Correspondence to Xavier Foissac.

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Choueiri, E., Salar, P., Jreijiri, F. et al. Occurrence and distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’ associated with diseases of solanaceous crops in Lebanon. Eur J Plant Pathol 118, 411–416 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-007-9142-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-007-9142-8

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