Based on our results, the nematode species on A. dahurica was identified as Meloidogyne arenaria by the morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. arenaria on A. dahurica in China. “
“Five asparagus cultivars, three breeding lines Tamoxifen cost and the wild relative Asparagus amarus were tested for natural infection by Asparagus virus 1 (AV-1) in experimental fields at two locations over 3 and 4 years, respectively. In the first year after re-planting the annual crowns in the field, more than 90% of tested plants of cultivars were infected by AV-1. In the third and fourth

year, 100% of tested plants of cultivars were AV-1 infected. In comparison, all plants of the wild relative A. amarus were completely free of AV-1, suggesting a high level of resistance. Additionally, 1-year-old glasshouse-cultivated plants of A. officinalis and A. amarus Wnt inhibitor were placed in an AV-1 provocation cabin under field conditions. Seven months later, 100% of the A. officinalis plants showed a high virus concentration in ELISA, whereas no AV-1 was detectable in the A. amarus plants. This result was confirmed by highly sensitive AV-1-specific RT-PCR. To exclude vector resistance, the feeding behaviour of green peach aphid Myzus persicae was tested over 12 h using the electrical penetration graph method. Both asparagus genotypes were accepted by the aphids as potential

hosts, but the feeding time was significantly longer on A. amarus. A genetic distance analysis of the various cultivars of Thiamet G Asparagus officinalis and selected wild relatives of the JKI collection was carried out, resulting in a clear discrimination of cultivars and wild relatives, especially A. amarus. The potential breeding value of the putative resistance carrier is discussed. “
“During January 2010, severe stunting symptoms were observed in clonally propagated oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Leaf samples of symptomatic oil palms were collected, and the presence of phytoplasma was confirmed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal phytoplasma-specific primer pairs P1/P7 followed

by R16F2n/R16R2 for amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and semi-nested PCR using universal phytoplasma-specific primer pairs SecAfor1/SecArev3 followed by SecAfor2/SecArev3 for amplification of a part of the secA gene. Sequencing and BLAST analysis of the ∼1.25 kb and ∼480 bp of 16S rDNA and secA gene fragments indicated that the phytoplasma associated with oil palm stunting (OPS) disease was identical to 16SrI aster yellows group phytoplasma. Further characterization of the phytoplasma by in silico restriction enzyme digestion of 16S rDNA and virtual gel plotting of sequenced 16S rDNA of ∼1.25 kb using iPhyClassifier online tool indicated that OPS phytoplasma is a member of 16SrI-B subgroup and is a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’-related strain.