Journal
PLANT PATHOLOGY
Volume 57, Issue 2, Pages 338-347Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2007.01710.x
Keywords
Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia; Ipomoea batatas; in vitro plantlets; tissue culture
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Shoot tips with 3-4 leaf primordia were excised from in vitro-grown sweetpotato plants (Ipomoea batatas) infected with little leaf phytoplasma (Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia) and subjected to cryotherapy. All plants regenerated from the cryo-treated shoot tips were free of phytoplasma, whereas shoot tip culture or dehydration of shoot tips without subsequent cryotherapy resulted in phytoplasma-free plants at a frequency of only 7-10%. Histological and ultrastructural studies with light and transmission electron microscopy, respectively, indicated that cryotherapy was lethal to all cells except those in the apical dome of the meristem and the two youngest leaf primordia. These surviving parts of the shoot tip contained vascular tissue and sieve elements, but electron microscopy showed no phytoplasma in them. In contrast, an abundance of phytoplasma was found in sieve elements located at the lower, non-surviving parts of the shoot tip 1.0 or 1.5 mm from the apical dome. In the greenhouse, the plants in which phytoplasmas were not detected were healthy-looking, grew vigorously and were readily distinguished from the infected plants that exhibited little leaf and chlorosis symptoms, proliferation of axillary shoots and roots, stunting, and heavily reduced number and size of storage roots. In this study efficient elimination of phytoplasma and production of pathogen-tested plant stocks were achieved with the novel cryotherapy-based approach. The proposed advantage of the technique is that it can be simultaneously used for long-term storage of plant germplasm and for production of pathogen-free plants.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available