Detection and Molecular Identification of Phytoplasmas Associated with Potato in Iran

Potato purple top is a complex phytoplasma disease that poses a serious threat to potato cultivation worldwide. To verify the presence of different phytoplasma strains in potato disease outbreaks in Iran, six major potato-growing provinces in the central and western regions of the country were surveyed, and a total of 270 potato plants, 230 symptomatic and 40 asymptomatic, was sampled. Nested PCR analysis revealed the phytoplasma presence in 45% of symptomatic and 7% of asymptomatic plants. Mole