First identification of the pathogen causing tumor malformations in holm oak in Spain

Aim of study: In recent years an increase in pests and diseases associated with truffle plantations has been detected in Spain. The appearance of tumor malformations in trunks and branches of Quercus ilex L. must be highlighted. These bumps have expanded dramatically since the increase in the number and density of truffle plantations. This pathology is not only found in plantations, but also in forests, and in trees of all ages. Area of study: the eastern mountains and the truffle plantations of the Iberian Peninsula. Material and methods: Positive results were obtained by using two types of PCR: Real-Time PCR and nested-PCR. They were carried out with primers that amplified 16S ribosomal gene sequences that are common to all known phytoplasmas. Main result: The disease manifests itself as an irregular thickening in branches of any age and in the trunk that results in the woody tissue cracking open, forming wounds. The affected branches usually undergo necrosis and in case of affecting the trunk, the tree will eventually die. After an extensive literature review and several failed attempts to isolate fungal and bacterial species from these tumors and wounds, the disease-causing organism has been identified as a Candidatus Phytoplasma. Research highlights: The appearance of this disease may endanger the profitability of an a priori profitable crop. Due to the intrinsic characteristics of the organism, and knowing that no phytosanitary treatment is able to control phytoplasmas, future works should be directed towards identifying the transmitter in order to control the diseasePublishe

Evaluation of detection methods for Virus, Viroids and Phytoplasmas affecting pear and apple

The RT-PCR technique for the detection of apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and pear blister canker viroid (PBCV) was evaluated for health control of fruit plants from nurseries. The technique was evaluated in purified RNA and crude extracts and also in phloem collected in autumn and from young spring shoots. The results obtained for phytoplasma detection with ribosomal and non-ribosomal primers are also presented

Evaluation of susceptibility of pear and plum varieties and rootstocks to Ca. P. pyri and Ca. P. prunorum using Real-Time PCR

Real-time PCR was used to quantify phytoplasma concentration in fifty inoculated trees from five Prunus rootstocks and in forty-eight symptomatic pear and Japanese plum trees from orchards. Seasonal fluctuation of Ca. P. prunorum in different Prunus rootstocks, over three years, showed that the highest percentage detected by nested-PCR was in the ‘Garnem’ rootstock on nearly all sampling dates. Intra-varietal differences were also observed. Phytoplasma titer could be estimated by real time PCR in some trees of the rootstocks ‘Garnem’, ‘Barrier’, ‘GF-677’ and ‘Marianna’, and ranged from 4.7x105 to 3.18x109 phytoplasmas per gram of tissue. Quantification by real-time PCR was not possible in the ‘Cadaman’ trees analyzed, probably due to a lower phytoplasma titer in this variety. Samples from infected trees from commercial plots had different phytoplasma concentration and detection percentage depending on the variety, both being lower in ‘Fortune’ and ‘606’ Japanese plum and in ‘Blanquilla’ pear trees

First identification of the pathogen causing tumor malformations in evergreen oaks in Spain

<p><em>Aim of study</em>: In recent years an increase in pests and diseases associated with truffle plantations has been detected in Spain. The appearance of tumor malformations in trunks and branches of <em>Quercus ilex </em>L. must be highlighted. These bumps have expanded dramatically since the increase in the number and density of truffle plantations. This pathology is not only found in plantations, but also in forests, and in trees of all ages.</p><p><em>Area of study: </em>the eastern mountains and the truffle plantations of the Iberian Peninsula.</p><p><em>Material and methods: </em>Positive results were obtained by using two types of PCR: Real-Time PCR and nested-PCR. They were carried out with primers that amplified 16S ribosomal gene sequences that are common to all known phytoplasmas.</p><p><em>Main result</em>: The disease manifests itself as an irregular thickening in branches of any age and in the trunk that results in the woody tissue cracking open, forming wounds. The affected branches usually undergo necrosis and in case of affecting the trunk, the tree will eventually die. After an extensive literature review and several failed attempts to isolate fungal and bacterial species from these tumors and wounds, the disease-causing organism has been identified as a <em>Candidatus </em>Phytoplasma.</p><p><em>Research highlights</em>: The appearance of this disease may endanger the profitability of an <em>a priori </em>profitable crop. Due to the intrinsic characteristics of the organism, and knowing that no phytosanitary treatment is able to control phytoplasmas, future works should be directed towards identifying the transmitter in order to control the disease.</p><p><strong>Key words: </strong><em>Candidatus </em>Phytoplasma; PCR; <em>Quercus ilex</em>; black truffle; <em>Tuber melanosporum</em>.</p

Phytoplasmas infecting pome and stone fruits in South America and Iberian peninsula

The present review focuses on the diseases associated with phytoplasmas that affect pome and stone fruits trees in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Spain and Portugal. The advances and challenges faced by these countries for these diseases are reported. The economic losses due to the presence of these bacteria seriously affect and reduce the production and the quality of the fruits.INTA. CIAP. Instituto de Patología VegetalFil: Quiroga, Nicolás. University of Chile. Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas. Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal. Santiago; ChileFil: Batlle, Assumpció. Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA). Cabrils, Barcelona; EspañaFil: Laviña, Amparo. Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA). Cabrils, Barcelona; EspañaFil: Maeso, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Estación Experimental Las Brujas. Programa Nacional de Producción Frutícola; UruguayFil: Fernández. Franco.Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal ( IPAVE); ArgentinaFil: Sousa, Esmeraldina. Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV). Oeiras, Lisbon; PortugalFil: Fiore, Nicola. University of Chile. Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas. Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal. Santiago; ChileFil: Conci, Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal ( IPAVE); Argentin

Multilocus sequence analysis reveals the genetic diversity of European fruit tree phytoplasmas and supports the existence of inter-species recombination

The genetic diversity of three temperate fruit tree phytoplasmas ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’, ‘Ca. P. mali’ and ‘Ca. P. pyri’ has been established by multilocus sequence analysis. Among the four genetic loci used, the genes imp and aceF distinguished 30 and 24 genotypes, respectively, and showed the highest variability. Percentage of substitution for imp ranged from 50 to 68% according to species. Percentage of substitution varied between 9 and 12% for aceF, whereas it was between 5 and 6% for pnp and secY. In the case of ‘Ca P. prunorum’ the three most prevalent aceF genotypes were detected in both plants and insect vectors, confirming that the prevalent isolates are propagated by insects. The four isolates known to be hypo-virulent had the same aceF sequence, indicating a possible monophyletic origin. Haplotype network reconstructed by eBURST revealed that among the 34 haplotypes of ‘Ca. P. prunorum’, the four hypo-virulent isolates also grouped together in the same clade. Genotyping of some Spanish and Azerbaijanese ‘Ca. P. pyri’ isolates showed that they shared some alleles with ‘Ca. P. prunorum’, supporting for the first time to our knowledge, the existence of inter-species recombination between these two species

Martín Rodrigo y Alharilla (coord.): Cuba: de Colonia a República. Madrid. Biblioteca Nueva

Consuelo Naranjo. En el camino hacia una nación soberana: cultura e identidad en Cuba, 1898-1920 Oscar Zanetti. Cuba, 1899-1922: iniciación republicana y discurso histórico nacional José M. Manzano. La entronización de la literatura en la construcción de la "cultura cubana", 1823-1845 Amparo Sánchez Cobos. Nuevas opciones, viejos dilemas: el conflicto social en los primeros años de la República en Cuba Javier Laviña. Las visiones de los esclavos Michael Zeuske. Legados de la esclavitud en Cuba Mercedes García. La fuerza de trabajo en los ingenios cubanos Nadia Fernández de Pinedo. Islas azucareras en el siglo XIX: Cuba, Java y Archipiélago Filipino Antonio Santamaría García. La economía de Cuba al final del régimen colonial y en el inicio de la república, 1861-1913 José A. Piqueras. El período interventor y la dolarización de Cuba Imilcy Balboa. Cesión, usurpación y límites en conflicto: Oriente y la lucha por la propiedad de la tierra en las postrimerías del siglo XIX Alejandro de la Fuente; María de los Ángeles Meriño. "Vigilar las tierras del Estado": el Realengo 18 y la cuestión agraria en la República Reinaldo Funes. El boom azucarero durante la Primera Guerra Mundial y su impacto sobre zonas boscosas de Cuba Ana M. Cervantes. Migración y transnacionalismo entre España y las Américas durante finales del siglo XIX y principios del siglo XX: la conexión cubana Martín Rodrigo. Cuba, una particular tierra de promisión Lluis Costa. La difícil construcción de un proyecto periodístico catalán en la Cuba del siglo XIX Josep Pich. Francisco Pi y Margall y el problema cubano Christopher Schmidt-Nowara. Repensando "redescubrir América": Cuba y la conquista en las historias nacionales españolasPeer reviewe