MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYTOPLASMA ON TOMATO IN BAHAWALPUR REGION

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a most significant and widely planted horticultural crop over the globe,ancestrally belonging to Solanaceae family. Its genetic formation makes it vulnerable to all pathogens (Viruses,Bacteria, Fungi, Nematodes, and Phytoplasmas). After viruses, phytoplasmas are the rising threat to tomatoproduction, as they cause significant yield losses across the globe. During the field visit of tomato growing areain Bahawalpur, tomato leaf samples showing prominent symptoms were collected and nucleic acid extractionwas performed to identify the causal agent of the disease. Extracted DNA was further processed usingpolymerase chain reaction as a molecular characterization technique. After 16S rRNA employing the gene-specific primer pair P1/P7, PCR product of about 1800 bp was amplified, and retrieved sequence was submittedto Genbank (accession Number: OQ651404). The sequence analysis was performed showing the maximumsimilarity with the Candidatus Phytoplasmas isolated from field bindweed (convolvulus arvensis L) reportedfrom Pakistan (accession Number: MT119155). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence ofassociation of Candidatus Phytoplasmas with leaf shortening disease of tomato from Pakistan. The findingsrequire immediate attention and extensive investigation into their distribution in Pakistan, as well as appropriateinterventions.