Indian researchers find new microbe reverting sesame flowers to vegetative state

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) Researchers from the Bose Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have identified a new microbe responsible for reverting sesame flowers to a vegetative state.

The peculiar disease has been affecting the sesame fields of Midnapore in West Bengal, said the team led by Prof. Gaurab Gangopadhayay, Dept. of Biological Sciences at the Institute.

They found that after attaining the flowering and fruiting stage, the sesame plants revert to their vegetative stage and the white flowers with pinkish tinges turn green.

The research identified a new microbe residing in the gut of pests like leafhoppers and plant hoppers — a phloem sucker — as the causative agent of this severe disease.

“The microbe is a cell wall lacking Mollicutes bacteria, called Candidatus Phytoplasma. These bacteria thrive in the nutrient-rich phloem and sieve cells of plants,” said the researchers, in the paper recently published in the Plant Molecular Biology Reporter journal.

They showed that the pathogens spread primarily through phloem-feeder insects like leafhoppers, plant-hoppers, psyllids, and dodders. These insects are known to infect many commercially valuable crops like Catharanthus, tobacco, maize, and grapevine.

The disease manifests as “disfigurement and virescence of the floral parts, giving a leafy appearance”.

The team explored the impact of this bacterium on the interconnected metabolic pathways which leads to symptom development in sesame.

“This multi-target approach would be valuable for studying complex biological systems and may help understand the sesame plant’s molecular responses to Phytoplasma infection,” said the researchers.

Sesame — known as the queen of oil — is a primordial oilseed crop since the remnants of sesame seeds were discovered at Harappa and Mohenjodaro. Sesame oil also has medicinal properties. It contains antioxidants and is known to boost heart health.

–IANS

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