OBSERVATION OF GRAPEVINE PHYTOPLASMAS STATUS (CANDIDATUS PHYTOPLASMA SOLANI) IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

Phytoplasmas (“Candidatus Phytoplasma”) are non-cultivable wall-less bacteria found in plant phloem and insect vector cells. Economically important Grapevine yellows (GY) diseases all over the world, are caused by phytoplasmas belonging to the ribosomal subgroups 16SrV-C and -D (etiological agents of Flavescence dorée, FD) and 16SrXII-A (“Candidatus Phytoplasma solani”, etiological agents of Bois noir, BN) which cause similar symptoms but different considerably in epidemiology.

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the phytoplasmas associated with GY in vineyards in our country, through the molecular analysis of the genes stamp and map. The obtained results showed the presence of BN Bois noir, stolbur, economic important phytoplasma that cause serious losses on grapes. In detail, molecular characterization evidenced that BN phytoplasma strains belong to three distinct stamp genotypes (St1, St30, St37), while FD phytoplasma still is not present in our country.

Such data will be helpful for further analysis focused on investigating the epidemiology of BN and FD.