First Report of a 16SrV-C Phytoplasma Causing Little Leaf and Bunchy Top of Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) in India

Jute is the most important phloem fiber crop of the world, and is mainly grown in the South East Asian countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar, and few South American countries. The fiber is used in making sacks, ropes, bags, carpets, shoes, geo-textiles, and home decorations. There are two kinds of jute: tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) and white jute (C. capsularis). In June 2012, symptoms suggestive of phytoplasma infection (little leaf and bunchy top) were noticed on tossa jute in different experimental fields of the CRIJAF research farm, Barrackpore, India, and the incidence of the disease varied from 5 to 20%. The infected plants showed profuse lateral branching with a bushy appearance. In many plants, branching at the apical portion developed a bunchy top symptom with tufts of smaller leaves. Leafy stem was also common in many plants with main stems covered with numerous little leaves. Total DNA was extracted from leaf midveins of 15 symptomatic and 5 asymp...