‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola’ and Tanzanian lethal decline phytoplasma detection in the Derbidae Diastrombus mukurangai in Mozambique

revealed that Diastrombus mukurungai is a potential vector of the coconut phytoplasmas in Mozambique. Furthermore, the results revealed that Diastrombus mukurungai was harbouring two different phytoplasmas types: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola’ (16SrXXII-A), and and a strain that was previously isolated in Tanzania. The results also confirm the occurrence of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma cocostanzaniae’ in Mozambique. This is the first report associating D. mukurungai with ‘Ca. Phytoplasma palmicola’ in the world. Moreover the results also revealed slightly higher diversity of phytoplasmas species associated with Diastrombus mukurungai in Mozambique than previously found. Further research is underway to increase our knowledge about the vectors of the CLYD phytoplasmas in Mozambique.