Resumen

AROCHA, Y; ALMEIDA, R  y  JONES, P. USING A RIBOSOMAL PROBE FOR THE DETECTION OF THE PHYTOPLASMA ASSOCIATED WITH ´BUNCHY TOP SYMPTOM OF PAPAYA´ (BTS) IN PLANT AND INSECT HOST. Rev. Protección Veg. [online]. 2008, vol.23, n.1, pp. 16-20. ISSN 2224-4697.

Recently, a phytoplasma of the 16SrII, Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia group was associated with Bunchy Top disease (BTD) in eastern Cuba. Total DNA from more than 200 plant and insect leaf samples surveyed during 2005 and infected by the 16SrII phytoplasma was indexed by a non-radioactive nucleic acid hybridization assay (nrNAH). Phytoplasma 16S rDNA PCR products of selected samples were purified, labeled with alakaline phosphatase and used as a probe for the detection of such phytoplasma by the system of direct alkaline phosphatase labelling and chemiluminiscent detection (AlkPhos, Amersham LIFE SCIENCE, UK). The nrNAH assay detected the BTD phytoplasma in both papaya plants and Empoasca papayae Oman. The probe yielded hybridization signals reacting with reference controls and samples infected with the BTD phytoplasma. The nrNAH is considered a valuable diagnostic tool for the national phytosanitary surveillance, seed certification and breeding programs and a pathway to develop further specific assays.

Palabras clave : phytoplasma; papaya; Empoasca papayae; Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia; non-radioactive nucleic acid hybridization.

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