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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #63126
Title: DIAGNOSIS OF SPIROPLASMA INFECTIONS IN PLANTS AND INSECTS

Author
item SAILLARD, COLLETTE - INRA BORDEAUX FRANCE
item BARTHE, C - INRA BORDEAUX FRANCE
item BOVE, JOSEPH - INRA BORDEAUX FRANCE
item Whitcomb, Robert

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/14/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Spiroplasmas can be economically devastating to maize and citrus crops, so it is important to develop diagnostic tools for the detection of these organisms in plants and insects. However, both of these spiroplasmas frequently occur in mixed infection with other mollicutes and/or viruses. In this chapter, a new technology is described, based on a combination of DNA technology with immunological methods. This new technology should enable rapid and accurate diagnosis of spiroplasma infection in crop plants. The results will be of interest to plant pathologists, entomologists, and extension workers in areas affected by the diseases.

Technical Abstract: Only 3 plant-pathogenic spiroplasmas are known. One of these, Spiroplasma phoeniceum, occurs in periwinkle plants in the Middle East. A second spiroplasma, S. kunkelii, occurs in maize in the neotropics. A third spiroplasma, S. citri, occurs in citrus and other plants in the Mediterranean climates in Europe and the United States. ELISA techniques have been used for identification of spiroplasmas in plants and insects. In this chapter, a new technique, immunocapture PCR, based on DNA probe technology, is presented, and its application to identification of S. citri is described.