Phytoplasma Diseases of Trees and Shrubs

Dear Colleagues,

Phytoplasmas are obligate, plant-pathogenic microorganisms of the class Mollicutes associated with diseases of more than a thousand plant species worldwide. In diseased plants, phytoplasmas colonize the phloem sieve tube elements and are transmitted from plant to plant by phloem-feeding homopteran insects, mainly leafhoppers and planthoppers, and less frequently psyllids. Phytoplasmas cause a wide range of symptoms that are either specific or largely non-specific symptoms. The latter are most often common in woody plants.

Phytoplasma diseases of trees and shrubs are widespread and of considerable economic and ecological significance. These diseases differ in their geographic distribution, number and size of the various taxonomic groups and subgroups of the associated phytoplasma(s), and insect vector relationships. In several instances, phytoplasma diseases of trees and shrubs escape observation because affected plants show non-specific symptoms only such as yellowing, stunting and/or decline. Also, the phytoplasma titer in diseased plants, especially in those with non-specific symptoms, is often so low that infections can only be detected through highly sensitive nested PCR assays. Latent phytoplasma infections, which are common in some trees and shrubs, can serve as inoculum reservoirs for further spread to susceptible plants.

This Special Issue covers several aspects of the mentioned diseases including (i) molecular and taxonomic identy of the associated phytoplasmas, (ii) phytoplasma-insect vector relationships, (iii) phytoplasma-plant host interactions, (iv) phytoplasma titer and colonization behavior in affected plants, and (vi) disease management and control.

Dr. Carmine Marcone
Guest Editor

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• yellows and decline diseases
• ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ species
• 16Sr group/subgroups
• phytoplasma taxonomy
• symptomatology
• etiology
• epidemiology
• fruit trees
• forest trees
• shrubs