PCR amplification was performed using a universal phytoplasma primer pair SN910601/SN011119 (Jung et al. 2003) that amplifies a 1.8-kb DNA fragment containing 16S rRNA gene and intergenic spacer region of the 16S and 23S rRNA genes. PCR resulted in amplification of an expected 1.8-kbp rDNA fragment from all symptomatic samples collected at Yeoungyang,
Jeonnam, and Gyeoungnam provinces but not from the healthy or symptomless samples (data not shown). These
results suggested that a phytoplasma was associated with witches’ broom disease in Henon bamboos.