徳島市城山のホルトノキの衰弱・枯死の原因について : ホルトノキ萎黄病を引き起こすファイトプラズマの深刻な感染状況

Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus was a dominant tree species in Mt. Shiroyama (castle mountain) in the Tokushima Central Park until 1970s, however, most of the E. sylvestris trees have died. In this study we investigated whether the death has been caused by Elaeocarpus yellows. Results of nested PCR revealed that DNA of phytoplasma, the pathogen of Elaeocarpus yellows, was found in all E. sylvestris trees in Mt. Shiroyama and about 80% E. sylvestris trees in the Tokushima Central Park. Results of PCR-RFLP showed that the all the trees had the same DNA type of phytoplasma, and it was identical to the one that had been found in Japan. These results indicated that the recent decrease of E. sylvestris in Mt. Shiroyama is due to Elaeocarpus yellows.