Detección de infección mixta de ‘Candidatus phytoplasma sp.’ y begomovirus afectando el cultivo de la soya en la región oriental de Cuba

The objective of the work was to detect the presence of mixed infections of phytoplasmas and begomoviruses associated with symptomatic soybean plants collected in production areas of the eastern region of Cuba. A total of 545 foliar samples of the cultivar Incasoy 27 with symptoms associated with phytoplasmas and begomoviruses were taken from 11 soybean producing localities. The samples were evaluated by nPCR to detect the presence of phytoplasmas and by RCA / RFLP to determine infection by begomoviruses. The evaluation by nPCR showed the presence of phytoplasmas in 39.45 % of the total samples collected. The analysis by RCA / RFLP showed that 47.88 % of these plants were infected by begomoviruses. The presence of mixed infections in the crop was determined in 15.96 % of the samples. Infections by both pathogens, both single and mixed, occurred in all the provinces of the country, where Holguin and Las Tunas provinces showed the highest percentages of infection. The study showed that the variability of symptoms associated with the presence of phytoplasmas and begomoviruses and mixed infections by both did not allow establishing specific relationships between symptoms and pathogens, being required the use of other diagnostic tools to confirm their specific presence. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of mixed infections by begomoviruses and phytoplasmas in the soybean crop in Cuba.