Rapid detection of apple proliferation phytoplasm using PCR
In Italy, a one-step PCR method based on the amplification of 16S rRNA of apple proliferation phytoplasm (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) has been developed. With this rapid method, it is possible to detect the pathogen in plant tissue (in as little as 0.3 g of diseased tissue). This method appears to be specific of a group of related 'decline phytoplasms', such as: apple proliferation, pear decline and plum leptonecrosis phytoplasm. Other phytoplasms were not detected (Western X disease, grapevine yellows, peach rosette). The authors felt that this method could be useful for indexing plant material.
Sources
Firrao, G.; Gobbi, E.; Locci, R. (1994) Rapid diagnosis of apple proliferation mycoplasma-like organism using a polymerase chain reaction procedure.
Plant Pathology, 43 (4), 669-674.