Assessing the diversity of the Trypanosomatidae is difficult because of the
relatively small number of species that can be cultured. This same problem
thwarts efforts to identify the hosts and insect vectors of Phytomonas, a
genus of parasites of plants that includes species responsible for devastat
ing epiphytotics of Economically important plantations. Here, Myrna Serrano
, Marta Teixeira and Erney Camargo review the studies that have led to the
development of a PCR-based technique for processing insect and plant juices
fixed on glass slides. The method overcomes the need for cultivation, faci
litates field collections and also permits the molecular examination of arc
hival smears of Phytomonas. In principle, the method call be adapted to any
trypanosomatid as well as to any fastidious parasitic or free-living organ
ism.