Multigene characterization of a new ' Phytoplasma rubi'-related strain associated with blackberry witches' broom.

A new phytoplasma was identified in naturally infected blackberry plants exhibiting witches' broom symptoms in Portugal. The 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that it is related to ' Phytoplasma rubi' (16SrV-E ribosomal subgroup) and RFLP analysis revealed a unique profile following I endonuclease digestion of R16F2n/R2 amplicons that distinguished it from the strains belonging to previously established 16SrV phytoplasma subgroups. The restriction analyses confirmed that the phytoplasma strain from blackberry is different from all the other strains reported in group 16SrV.