title: Micropropagation and maintenance of phytoplasmas in tissue culture.
abstract: Maintenance of phytoplasma strains in tissue culture is achievable for all strains transmitted to periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), and also for other naturally infected plant host species. Shoots of 1-3 cm length are grown in a solid medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) micro- and macroelements and 0.12 mg/L benzylaminopurine. The continued presence of phytoplasmas in infected shoots of periwinkle that have been maintained in micropropagation for up to 20 years can be shown by diagnostic methods such as nested PCR tests using the 16S rDNA gene (see Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,and 26 for phytoplasma diagnostic methods).
authors.affiliation: DiSTA, Plant Pathology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. assunta.bertaccini@unibo.it
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertaccini
authors.forename: Samanta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paltrinieri
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Contaldo
mesh_terms: D030008:Catharanthus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D045582:Phytoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology