title: Phytoplasma induced free-branching in commercial poinsettia cultivars.
abstract: Free-branching poinsettia cultivars that produce numerous axillary shoots are essential for propagating desirable multi-flowered poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima Wild. Klotz). For more than a decade, a biological agent has been suspected to cause free-branching in poinsettias. Attempts to identify the branching agent have failed. Isolation of the pathogen was accomplished using a living host and it was concluded that an unculturable phytoplasma is the cause of free-branching in poinsettias. This is the first reported example of a pathogenic phytoplasma as the causal agent of a desirable and economically important trait.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. imlee@asrr.arsusda.gov
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klopmeyer
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Bartoszyk
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Gundersen-Rindal
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisenreich
mesh_terms: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000378:metabolism; D007221:Industry; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S