Detection and identification of a novel 16SrXIII subgroup phytoplasma associated with strawberry red leaf disease in Argentina.

Strawberry red leaf phytoplasma was found in strawberry plants from production fields in Lules (Tucumán province) and Bella Vista (Corrientes province), Argentina. Characteristic strawberry red leaf symptoms were stunting, young leaves with yellowing at the edges, mature leaves which curled and were reddish at the abaxial face, flower and fruit deformation and death. The pathogen was detected with phytoplasma-universal primer pairs P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 as nested primers in 13 diseased plants. Based on RFLP and sequence analysis of the amplified 16S rRNA gene, the phytoplasma was related to the 16SrXIII group (Mexican periwinkle virescence). In silico the RFLP profile of all the samples analysed revealed the presence of a unique pattern, showing that the novel phytoplasma is different from all the phytoplasmas currently composing the 16SrXIII group. The phylogenetic analysis was consistent with RFLP analysis as the strawberry red leaf phytoplasma was grouped within the 16SrXIII group, but formed a particular cluster. On this basis, the Strawberry red leaf phytoplasma associated with strawberry red leaf disease was assigned to a new subgroup, 16SrXIII-F.

Detection and identification of the first viruses in chia (Salvia hispanica).

Chia (Salvia hispanica), an herbaceous plant native to Latin America, has become important in the last 20 years due to its beneficial effects on health. Here, we present the first record and identification of two viruses in chia plants. The comparison of the complete nucleotide sequences showed the presence of two viral species with the typical genome organization of bipartite New World begomovirus, identified as Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 and Tomato yellow spot virus, according to the ICTV taxonomic criteria for begomovirus classification. DNA-A from Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 exhibited 96.1% nucleotide identity with a Bolivian isolate of Sida micrantha, and Tomato yellow spot virus showed 95.3% nucleotide identity with an Argentine bean isolate. This is the first report of begomoviruses infecting chia as well as of the occurrence of Sida mosaic Bolivia virus 2 in Argentina.

Changes in the Concentration of an Allexivirus During the Crop Cycle of Two Garlic Cultivars.

Garlic can be infected by a number of viruses, including allexiviruses. The coat protein sequence of an Allexivirus was detected in Argentina and deposited in the EMBL database as Garlic mite-borne filamentous virus (accession number X98991); it has high homology with Garlic virus A (GarV-A). For reliable virus detection, plants should be sampled when virus titer is high to reduce the risk of identifying infected plants as healthy. The objective of this study was to describe fluctuations in the concentration of this Argentine isolate of GarV-A in two garlic cultivars, Morado-INTA and Nieve-INTA, throughout the crop cycle using the double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). Over a 2-year period, for both cultivars, virus concentration was assessed in samples from the tips section of the youngest leaves of GarV-A-infected plants, and from basal sections of both dormant and devernalized cloves of stored bulbs of Morado-INTA. The concentration of GarV-A varied during the crop cycle, but peaked at the beginning and again at the end of the crop cycle. Virus concentration was slightly higher in devernalized cloves compared with dormant cloves of Morado-INTA. No correlation between virus concentration and mean air temperature was observed. The results of this study recommend sampling times at the beginning of the crop cycle at 64 to 81 days after planting, and towards the end of the crop cycle to evaluate for the presence of GarV-A by DAS-ELISA.

Yield Losses Associated with Virus-Infected Garlic Plants During Five Successive Years.

Virus-free garlic plants, when planted in the field, are quickly infected by viruses, but it is not known to what extent this affects the yield over successive crop cycles. The yield loss curve was studied for these plants during 5 years of tests in the field. Highly significant differences were detected in the weight and perimeter of bulbs in relation to the years of exposure to virus infection. An increase was observed in yield compared with chronically diseased plants of between 66 and 216% in weight and 13 and 37% in perimeter of bulbs in the first crop cycle and 49% in weight and 16% in perimeter in the fifth year. These results showed a gradual loss in yield until the third year, and subsequently the production values remained steady for the fourth and fifth years of testing but were still higher than those reached by chronically diseased plants.

Variations of Leek yellow stripe virus Concentration in Garlic and Its Incidence in Argentina.

The purpose of this work was to determine variations in titer of Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) throughout the crop cycle and bulb storage, and to evaluate the incidence of infected plants in the main garlic-production regions of Argentina. One hundred plants with LYSV from each of five cultivars were analyzed by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) in six different vegetative stages in White- and Red-type garlic cultivars and seven stages in cv. Rosado Paraguayo, throughout the year. In two White-type garlic cultivars, LYSV showed peaks of viral concentration in May, at the beginning of the crop cycle, and in November, just before harvest. In two Red-type garlic selections, an increase was detected in November (period of bulbing). The highest virus titers for these four garlic cultivars were detected in devernalized clove. In Rosado Paraguayo, the peak virus concentration occurred in September prior to harvesting. In a survey at 14 different localities in Argentina, 3,066 random samples were analyzed. LYSV was found in 80 to 98% of the plants from all regions, except in Santa Cruz, where 34% of plants were infected. The importance of this study is that it allows us to recommend the most suitable moment of the year to make the analysis with DAS-ELISA.