First detection of positive ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ Diaphorina citri in Argentina

Abstract

Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered one of the most important diseases in citrus industry, which currently has no cure. In Argentina, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) has been detected only in plant material. It is transmitted by Diaphorina citri, which is distributed in most of the country’s citrus regions. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of CLas in D. citri in Argentina. A total of 350 samples of D. citri were analyzed between 2012 and 2018 from different geographical locations from the northeast region of Argentina. A nested-PCR method using specific primers were used for the detection of CLas by amplification of a 1160-bp fragment from the 16S rRNA-encoding gene. Three positive samples to CLas of D. citri were detected from Ituzaingó, Corrientes. The positive PCR products were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis were conducted. The samples were confirmed to belong to CLas. The sequences obtained in this study grouped with CLas sequences plant material from Argentina together with other sequences from the rest of the world. This is the first report of CLas in D. citri in Argentina.