The Association of Clover Proliferation Phytoplasma with Stolbur Disease of Pepper in Spain

A phytoplasma disease, `stolburʹ, affects pepper (Cap- sicum annuum) in Spain. Affected plants have short internodes, green ¯owers buds and other symptoms that are characteristic of phytoplasma-induced diseases. Herein the detection and classi®cation of the phyto- plasma that may cause the disease is reported. DNA ampli®cation by polymerase chain reaction, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicate that this phytoplasma should be classi®ed in the clover proliferation group 16SrVI, a group that is clearly distinct from the stolbur group 16SrXII.