Abstract
Phytoplasmas are plant-pathogenic bacteria that infect many important crops and environmentally relevant plant species, causing serious economic and environmental losses worldwide. These bacteria, lacking a cell wall, are sensitive to antibiotics such as tetracyclines that affect protein synthesis mechanisms. Phytoplasma cultivation in axenic media has not been achieved for many strains; thus, the screening of antimicrobials must be performed using mainly in vivo materials. Some studies have investigated using in vitro phytoplasma-infected shoots, and several antimicrobials, including tetracyclines, have been tested. The screening of phytoplasma antimicrobials is important for the sustainable control of phytoplasma-associated diseases. The use of molecules with different modes of action such as ribosome inactivating proteins, plant hormones, and resistance inducers such as plasma-activated water, is advised, to avoid the use of antibiotics in agriculture and the possible emergence of resistant microbial strains.
Highlights
Introduction of PhytoplasmaAssociated PlantPhytoplasmas are mycoplasmas associated with several hundred plant diseases worldwide, including many diseases with important economic or environmental impacts.They are Mollicutes, i.e., prokaryotes lacking cell walls, found in plant phloem and insect hemolymph and are transmitted by insects, propagation materials, and seeds
Experiments to to an-antibiotics such as kinetins showed that they were ineffective in phytoplasma eliminatibiotics such as kinetins showed that they were ineffective in phytoplasma elimination tion [33,34]
The elimination of phytoplasmas by in vitro shoot culture using anti-microbial agents such as tetracycline and rifampicin enabled the production of phytoplasma-free nursery stocks, contributes to the preservation of mother plants and biodiversity, and supports the international distribution of botanical resources
Summary
Phytoplasmas are mycoplasmas associated with several hundred plant diseases worldwide, including many diseases with important economic or environmental impacts. The field control of phytoplasma diseases is mainly dependent on the use of insecticides against their insect vectors This strategy is often ineffective because it cannot eliminate the source plants of these diseases [4]. The antibiotic use is prohibited in many countries for agricultural use [9] and they may be hazardous to humans over time For these reasons, non-antibiotic molecules were tested to assess whether they directly or indirectly reduce the phytoplasma presence and symptoms in infected plants. In vitro systems could be an effective method to produce phytoplasma-free germplasm to be further multiplied in insect-proof conditions before its use in open fields This strategy is reducing the environmental impact of insecticides/pesticide to manage the phytoplasma-associated diseases.
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