'Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense' is associated with diseases of red clover and paddy melon in south-west Australia

Plants of red clover ( Trifolium pratense), several other pasture legumes and paddy melon ( Cucumis myriocarpus) with symptoms of diminished leaf size, pallor, rugosity, leaf deformation, shoot proliferation and stunting were observed amongst pasture plots growing at a site in south-west Australia. When tested using PCR, diseased samples from all species with these symptoms were positive for a phytoplasma resembling 'Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense'. This association was confirmed for red clover and paddy melon by subsequent nested PCR and sequence analysis. This is the first time that 'Ca. Phytoplasma australiense' has been reported infecting these hosts.