‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (Subgroup 16SrXII-A) Associated with Nicotiana tabacum Leaf Abnormality in Turkey

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is among the agricultural products with highest added value in Turkey. Although frequently associated its negative effects on human health, it also provides important contributions to Turkish economy employment creates rural areas and continues be a strategic product. Many postgraduate theses studies related sociological economic importance of production this plant, which great for our country, have been carried out. However, there are very limited plant diseases tobacco Phytoplasma one pathogens that cause yield loss tobacco. Since available data phytoplasma was scarce worldwide, field surveys collect samples showing infection-like symptoms such as yellowish color changes, leaf blisters, proliferation, dwarfism, other physical abnormalities were out Çanakkale Balıkesir provinces Turkey from June August 2021. The presence phytoplasmas six confirmed by 16S ribosomal DNA amplification nested-PCR using universal primer sets, suggested pathogen According phylogenetic study virtual-RFLP analysis AluI MseI endonuclease enzymes, strains all belong group 16SrXII more than 99% nucleotide sequence identity some members ‘Candidatus solani’ taxonomic subgroup ‘stolbur’ (16SrXII-A). Genetic distances indicated 16SrI closely 16SrVI, agreement groups clustering tree. Neutrality tests found experiencing expanding or bottleneck selections, probably due new mutations rRNA gene fragment. Meanwhile, 16SrVI populations shown undergoing balancing indicating isolates evolved long time.