China aster, Callistephus chinensis, is widely grown in Myanmar as an ornamental plant. Symptoms of flower virescence were
observed in diseased China aster plants in Yezin, Myanmar. The presence of a phytoplasma was detected and identified by applying
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)/ Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) techniques and sequencing the 16S ribosomal
DNA. The phytoplasma was identified as belonging to ribosomal subgroup 16SrII-A, never reported before in China aster. It showed
almost 100 % similarity with a 16S rDNA sequence of sunn hemp witches’ broom phytoplasma (AB558143), which belongs to the peanut
witches’ broom phytoplasma group. This is the first record of China aster as a new host for a subgroup 16SrII-A phytoplasma.
Key words: China aster, Phytoplasma, 16S rDNA, RFLP.