Interaction between cold atmospheric plasma and phytoplasmas in micropropagated infected periwinkle shoots Contaldo Nicoletta1,*, Satta Eleonora1, Paltrinieri Samanta1, Gherardi Matteo2, Laurita Romolo2, Stancampiano Augusto2, Zambon Yuri1, Colombo Vittorio2,3, Bertaccini Assunta1 1Department of Agricultural Sciences (DipSA), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy 2Department of Industrial Engineering (DIN), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy 3Advanced Mechanics and Materials – Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research (AMM-ICIR), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy *Corresponding author e-mail: Nicoletta Contaldo (nicoletta.contaldo2@unibo.it)
Online published on 2 January, 2015. Abstract Plasma activated water (PAW) was employed to treat phytoplasma infected micropropagated periwinkle shoots to verify effects on symptomatology and phytoplasma presence. The preliminary results indicate that PAW do not induce shoot toxicity, and allow an improved detection of phytoplasma presence in shoots and also in liquid phytoplasma isolation medium. The reduced symptomatology and the lack of colony formation from liquid isolation medium induce to speculate that PAW interact with phytoplasmas and/or endophytes viability. Research to verify these aspects are in progress. Top Keywords Cold atmospheric pressure plasma, plasma activated water, phytoplasmas, PCR/RFLP analyses. Top |