Occurrence and Partial Characterization of a Phytoplasma Associated with Phyllody Disease of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) in India

In India, fennel showing symptoms of phyllody disease were noticed since 2003. As symptoms were suggestive of a phytoplasma infection, tissues were assayed by nested PCR using universal primers that amplify a 1.2-kb phytoplasma 16S rDNA fragment. The phytoplasma specific fragment was amplified from diseased plants, but not from healthy plants, indicating that a phytoplasma was associated with fennel phyllody (FP) disease. On the basis of 16S rDNA sequence identity and phylogenetic relationship, it is concluded that FP belongs to peanut witches' broom group and may be considered as a strain of the 'Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia'. This is the first report of occurrence and association of phytoplasma in fennel.