Detection of Mycoplasmalike Organisms associated with a Yellows Disease of Grapevine in Germany

Abstract
A yellows disease of grapevine in Germany referred to as ‘Vergilbungskrankheit’ (VK) causes yield loss and decline of infected vines. Mycoplasmalike organisms (MLO) were transmitted from a symptomatic vine to periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) by Cuscuta odorata. MLOs could be detected in tissue of symptomatic grapevines by a polymerase chain reaction that amplified a sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. Digestion of the amplification products by AluI restriction endonuclease revealed a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) between DNA samples obtained from grapevine and periwinkle. Based on restriction fragment profiles the MLO detected in symptomatic grapevine is similar to the organism causing stolbur in solanaceous plants while the organism transmitted to periwinkle is similar to aster yellows.