Interception of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ in Brazil in apple tree propagative material imported from France

ABSTRACT: Apple plants from France introduced in Brazil for research purposes were subjected to a phytosanitary analysis at the Plant Quarantine Laboratory of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (Cenargen). After grafting onto healthy apple rootstock, some plants showed phytoplasma-infection symptoms. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests yielded DNA fragments of the expected size for phytoplasmas. DNA sequencing revealed an identity of the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence of 98-99% with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’. This phytoplasma species is responsible for losses in European apple orchards and has not been reported in Brazil. According to the Federal Legislation on Plant Protection, the plants were incinerated to avoid the introduction of this exotic pest in Brazil.

摘要：为开展科研工作从法国引入巴西的苹果植株，在Embrapa遗传资源与生物技术研究所（Cenargen）植物检疫实验室接受了植物检疫分析。在嫁接至健康苹果砧木后，部分植株表现出植原体（phytoplasma）感染症状。聚合酶链式反应（Polymerase Chain Reaction，PCR）检测得到了与植原体检测预期大小相符的DNA片段。DNA测序结果显示，其16S rDNA核苷酸序列与‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’的同源性达98%~99%。该植原体物种会造成欧洲苹果园减产，且巴西此前尚无相关报道。依据巴西联邦植物保护相关法律法规，为防止该外来有害生物传入巴西，所有植株均被焚毁。