Dodder Transmission of Pear Decline, European Stone Fruit Yellows, Rubus Stunt, Picris echioides Yellows and Cotton Phyllody Phytoplasmas to Periwinkle

The pear decline, European stone fruit yellows and rubus stunt agents as well as the phytoplasmas causing Picris echioides (bristly oxtongue) yellows and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) phyllody, respectively, were transmitted from naturally infected plants to the experimental host Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle) via dodder (Cuscuta spp.) bridges. The identities of the dodder-transmitted phytoplasmas were confirmed by restriction length fragment polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified ribosomal DNA. On the basis of restriction profiles the cotton phyllody agent could be differentiated from the phytoplasma causing faba bean phyllody, a disease previously thought to be induced by the same organism as cotton phyllody.