Preliminary identification of phytoplasmas associated with grapevine yellows in Syria

Abstract

Symptoms of grapevine yellows diseases have been observed in some grapevine growing areas at near to the cost in Syria. Symp-toms are similar to those associated with phytoplasmas, know as yellows diseases. In order to verify the presence of phytoplasmas using molecular techniques, leaf samples were taken from symptomatic grapevine plants, that were exhibiting leaf rolling and red coloration during September 2010. Total DNA was extracted from leaf midribs of these samples and tested by nested-PCR fol-lowed by RFLP assays. Two phytoplasmas were identified in mixed infection: one related to stolbur (16SrXII) and the other tenta-tively related to clover proliferation group (16SrVI). To our knowledge, this is the first detection and identification of phytoplas-mas infecting grapevine in Syria, further research about final classification of the phytoplasma identified in mixed infection and about their spreading and insect vector(s) in vineyards are in progress.