New Disease Reports (2010) 21, 23. [http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2010.021.023]
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First report of a phytoplasma associated with Bermuda grass white leaf disease in Kenya

E. Obura 1*, D. Masiga 1, C.A.O. Midega 1, F. Wachira 2, J.A. Pickett 3, A.L. Deng 2 and Z.R. Khan 1

*eobura@icipe.org

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Received: 10 Apr 2010; Published: 11 Jun 2010

Bermuda grass (=Star grass), Cynodon dactylon, is a perennial plant of the family Poaceae that is native to the African Savannah but is now widely distributed over many warm countries of the world (Marcone et al., 1997). C. dactylon plants were observed at five locations in Mbita and two locations in Bungoma areas of western Kenya showing symptoms similar to Bermuda grass white leaf (BGWL) disease, caused by a phytoplasma (Marcone et al., 1997). Affected grasses exhibited whitening of leaves, bushy growing habit, small leaves, shortened stolons/rhizomes, stunting, proliferation of auxiliary shoots and death (Fig. 1). Phytoplasma aetiology being suspected, leaf samples of six symptom-bearing and six symptomless plants were taken from each location at Mbita and Bungoma. Total DNA was extracted from the collected leaves using the hot cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method of Doyle & Doyle (1990), and used as template in a nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assay with 16S rDNA universal primers P1/P6 (Deng & Hiruki, 1991) and R16F2n/R16R2 (Gundersen & Lee, 1996). Phytoplasma infection was confirmed by the amplification of a 1200 bp 16S rDNA nPCR fragment from all symptom-bearing C. dactylon plants tested (6/6, Fig. 2). No amplification was recorded in the symptomless plants. The 1200 bp amplicons were gel purified (QuickClean Gel Extraction Kit, Genescript), and directly sequenced (Segolilab, ILRI, Nairobi ). The partial 16S rDNA sequence of the BGWL phytoplasma was submitted to GenBank (Accession No. GU944766).

The BGWL phytoplasma 16S rDNA sequence exhibited 100% of identity with that of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis' strain LY-C1 (EU409293), which belongs to the BGWL group (16SrXIV), and 99% of sequence identity with other BGWL phytoplasma members. BGWL disease was first reported in Taiwan, and is known to occur in several Asian countries, Sudan, Italy, and Cuba (Arocha & Jones, 2010). To our knowledge, this is the first report of the BGWL disease and its associated phytoplasma in Kenya. The disease is significant since C. dactylon is widely used for forage and turf in the region. As the disease progresses, rangeland productivity is bound to decline. This will compromise the provision of pasture for livestock and wildlife. BGWL disease will also affect turf production and will dramatically reduce the role of turf in preventing soil erosion.

Figure1+
Figure 1: C. dactylon (center) showing BGWL symptoms
Figure 1: C. dactylon (center) showing BGWL symptoms
Figure2+
Figure 2: 1% agarose gel electrophoresis of C. dactylon infected with the BGWL phytoplasma. M: 1 Kb DNA ladder (Fermentas); (-): negative control, ddH2O; (+): positive control, Napier stunt phytoplasma DNA (16SrXI group); (1 to 6): C. dactylon showing BGWL symptoms and infected with the BGWL phytoplasma.
Figure 2: 1% agarose gel electrophoresis of C. dactylon infected with the BGWL phytoplasma. M: 1 Kb DNA ladder (Fermentas); (-): negative control, ddH2O; (+): positive control, Napier stunt phytoplasma DNA (16SrXI group); (1 to 6): C. dactylon showing BGWL symptoms and infected with the BGWL phytoplasma.

Acknowledgements

This investigation was supported by Kilimo Trust, East Africa and a study grant from the German Academic Exchange Programme (DAAD).


References

  1. Arocha Y, Jones P, 2010. Phytoplasma diseases of the Gramineae. In: Weintraub P, Jones P, eds. Phytoplasmas: genomes, plant hosts and vectors. Wallingford, UK : CAB International 2010, 170-187.
  2. Deng S, Hiruki C, 1991. Amplification of 16S rRNA genes from culturable and nonculturable mollicutes. Journal of Microbiological Methods 14, 53-61. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0167-7012(91)90007-D]
  3. Doyle JJ, Doyle JL, 1990. Isolation of plant DNA from fresh tissue. Focus 12, 13-15.
  4. Gundersen DE , Lee IM, 1996. Ultrasensitive detection of phytoplasmas by nested-PCR assays using two universal primer sets. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 35, 144-151.
  5. Marcone C, Ragozzino A, Seemüller E, 1997. Detection of Bermuda grass white leaf disease in Italy and genetic characterization of the associated phytoplasma by RFLP analysis. Plant Disease 81, 862-866. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS.1997.81.8.862]

To cite this report: Obura E, Masiga D, Midega CAO, Wachira F, Pickett JA, Deng AL, Khan ZR, 2010. First report of a phytoplasma associated with Bermuda grass white leaf disease in Kenya. New Disease Reports 21, 23. [http://dx.doi.org/10.5197/j.2044-0588.2010.021.023]

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