Identification of a phytoplasma associated with cherry decline in Turkey

Large scale surveys were conducted in the Mediterranean and Aegean Regions of Turkey between 2011-2015. Some sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees exhibiting symptoms typical of phytoplasma diseases such as proliferation, off season flowering and decline were observed in Adana and Uşak provinces. In order to establish phytoplasma association with these symptoms, nucleic acid was extracted from leaf midribs of symptomatic and symptomless plants. Nested PCR assays and RFLP analysis showed that all amplicons had identical restriction profiles, according to the enzymes and primers employed. Phylogenetic analysis of one sequence from the 1,006-bp R16F2n ⁄R16R2 product (KF476062) showed 99% identity with 16S rDNA from several phytoplasmas related to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ and in particular to aster yellows strains from cherries. Studies on the characterization of cherry phytoplasma isolates and their possible vectors are still under investigation.