User:Namitasingh botany/sandbox

About phytoplasma
Phytoplasmas are unique among the organisms and they represent the group of very small prokaryotes which are related to bacteria, but in contrast to bacteria they do not have a cellwall which are found in the phloem cells of host plants, and are normally considered pathogens of plants. The phytoplasmas cannot be cultured on artificial media, and can only be maintained in their plant host. The fact that it cannot be cultured on artificial media has made the study of phytoplasmas very laborious and difficult. Phytoplasma, formerly known as 'Mycoplasma-like organisms' or MLOs, are specialised bacteria that are obligate parasites of plant phloem tissue and of some insects. They were first discovered in 1967 and  named mycoplasma-like organisms or MLOs. They cannot be cultured in -vitro in cell-free media. They are characterised by their lack of a cell wall, a pleiomorphic or filamentous shape, normally with a diameter less than 1 micrometer, and their very small genomes (G:C ratio quite low).

(Namita singh and Poonam Gusain date 1 /10/ 15)