Report on phytoplasma new host plants in Pakistan

Abstract

During 2012–2014 a survey was conducted in different districts of Punjab province, Pakistan and suspected phytoplasma infected plant samples of vegetables, fruits, oilseeds and weeds were collected. Molecular assays were carried out and allowed to detect phytoplasma presence in several of these samples. Nested PCR assays with universal phytoplasma specific primers (P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2) indicated phytoplasma presence in symptomatic tomato, Parthenium hysterophorus and onion in Faisalabad province. These are new phytoplasma reports for the geographic area.