Association of the pathogen Spiroplasma kunkelii with corn stunt symptoms in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Alabama during the 2024 growing season

• DOI: 10.1094/php-03-25-0082-sc
• Publication Date: 2025-05-12T13:33:39Z
• Authors: Maira Rodrigues D...; Ashleigh M. Faris; Astri Wayabande; Jennifer Olson; Sara Wallace; Andres S. Espindola; Luana Muller; João Murilo Zambiasi; Rodrigo Onofre; James P. Stack; Chandler Day; Anthony Zukoff; Travis R. Faske; Mandy Bish; Peng Tian; Lili Zhang; Ivair Valmorbida; Tamra A. Jackson-...; Kyle Broderick; Madalyn K. Shires; Connie Tande; Gary C. Bergstrom; Michael Hunter; Michael J. Stanyard; Rafaela Aguiar; Brian Hudelson; Damon L. Smith; José E. Solórzano; Dean Malvick; Darcy E. P. Telenko; Tom Creswell; John Bonkowski; Kassie N. Conner; Edward Sikora

Corn stunt is one of the most significant corn diseases in Neotropics, leading to severe plant stunting and substantial yield losses. Although four pathogens have been found either singly or combination infected plants Americas, spiroplasma (Spiroplasma kunkelii) predominant pathogen associated with disease U.S., due its widespread distribution Rio Grande Valley region persistent occurrence California Florida. During 2024 growing season, reports chlorosis, leaf reddening, fields Southern, Great Plains, Central Belt, Northeastern states raised concern regarding possibility a more U.S. Symptomatic samples were collected commercial experimental field sites across Detection identification S. kunkelii performed using polymerase chain reaction assay targeting section spiralin gene, followed by amplicon sequencing. This study provides first report symptoms distributed six counties Oklahoma, 14 Kansas, two Missouri Arkansas, New York, county each Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Alabama. All submitted had at least confirmed case kunkelii.