CSIRO PUBLISHING - Australasian Plant Pathology

First record of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense’ in Paulownia trees

K. L. Bayliss ^A ^C, M. Saqib ^B, B. Dell ^A, M. G. K. Jones ^B and G. E. St J. Hardy ^A

^A Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Division of Science and Engineering, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
^B WA State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Division of Science and Engineering, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
^C Corresponding author. Email: K.Bayliss@murdoch.edu.au

Abstract

Paulownia trees exhibiting symptoms similar to Paulownia Witches’-Broom disease were identified in three commercial plantations in Western Australia. PCR confirmed the presence of a phytoplasma and RFLP analysis produced patterns similar to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense’. This is the first report of this phytoplasma in Paulownia.

Australasian Plant Pathology 34(1) 123–124 doi:10.1071/AP04089
Accepted: 11 November 2004 Published: 22 March 2005