First report on the association of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' with lethal wilt disease of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in India

Lethal wilt disease of coconut, reported as a disease of unknown etiology as early as 2007, was for the first time found consistently in association with a phytoplasma in diseased coconut trees in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai districts in Tamil Nadu on the southeastern coast of India. Nested PCR with phytoplasma-specific universal primers and in silico restriction analysis of 16S rDNA sequences revealed the association of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' (16SrI-B) group phytoplasma, which was confirmed by sequence analysis of translation elongation factor (tuf) and ribosomal protein (rp) genes. Because this disease kills affected palms within 5 months, recommendations are given to arrest the spread of the pathogen to other coconut-growing regions in the country.

Automated summary

The lethal wilt disease of coconut in Tamil Nadu, India, was found to be consistently associated with the phytoplasma 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris', leading to the death of affected palms within 5 months. Recommendations have been made to prevent the spread of the pathogen to other coconut-growing regions in the country.