The aim of this study is the molecular characterization of a phytoplasma associated with cabbage stunt and spatial analyses of symptomatic plants in the field. Detection by nested PCR, sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and conventional and virtual RFLP, as well as phylogenetic analysis revealed that a 16SrIII-J phytoplasma was associated with cabbage plants that exhibited stunting, reduced size, malformation or failure to form head, reddening leaves, sprout proliferation and vessel necrosis. The spatial analyses demonstrated that the dispersion pattern of symptomatic plants was aggregated and the pathogen introduced from adjacent areas. Phytoplasmas of 16SrIII group were also detected in leafhoppers of the species Atanus nitidus collected from cabbage fields and adjacent areas, evidencing that these insects are possibly potential vectors of this fastidious bacteria found in cabbage plants. These findings confirmed that a subgroup 16SrIII-J phytoplasma is associated with cabbage stunt. In addition, the spatial analyses indicated that the disease emerges from primary foci located in external areas and progress toward the center of the fields. The discovery of the etiological agent of the cabbage stunt together with the type of dispersion of the disease represent a relevant contribution to improve the management strategies aiming harm reduction.

这项研究的目的是对与白菜特技有关的植物质的分子特征进行表征，并对有症状植物进行现场分析。通过巢式PCR检测，16S rRNA基因测序以及常规和虚拟RFLP序列分析以及系统发育分析，发现16SrIII-J植原体与甘蓝植物有关，后者表现出发育迟缓，大小缩小，畸形或无法形成头部，变红的叶片，芽增殖和血管坏死。空间分析表明，有症状植物的扩散模式是聚集的，病原体是从邻近区域引入的。在Atanus nitidus物种的叶蝉中也检测到16SrIII组的植物质体从卷心菜田和邻近地区收集的昆虫，证明这些昆虫可能是在卷心菜植物中发现的这种细菌的潜在载体。这些发现证实了亚群16SrIII-J的植物胞浆菌与白菜特技有关。此外，空间分析表明该病从位于外部区域的主要病灶出现，并向田间中心发展。卷心菜特技的病原体的发现以及疾病的传播类型代表着改善旨在减少危害的管理策略的重要贡献。