Less Common Phytoplasmas Infecting Stone Fruit Trees

Abstract

Less Common Phytoplasmas Infecting Stone Fruit TreesPrunusspecies plants can be infected by eight ‘CandidatusPhytoplasma’ (‘Ca.P.’) species classified to eight distinctive taxonomic groups: ‘Ca.P. prunorum’ (16SrX-B), ‘Ca.P. mali’ (16SrX-A), ‘Ca.P. pyri’ (16SrX-C), ‘Ca.P. asteris’ (16SrI), ‘Ca.P. aurantifolia’ (16SrII), ‘Ca. P. ziziphi’ (16SrV), ‘Ca.P. fraxini’ (16SrVII), ‘Ca.P. phoenicium’ (16SrIX) and two potentially new species: ‘Ca.P. pruni’ (16SrIII) and ‘Ca.P. solani’ (16SrXII). These agents occur incidentally in orchards and their impact on stone fruit production is lower than ‘CandidatusPhytoplasma prunorum’. Hosts, geographic distribution, symptoms and insect vectors of these ‘Ca.P.’ species, methods of their identification, and control management are reviewed.