APPLE PROLIFERATION DISEASE IN SPAIN: GRAFT TRANSMISSION AND DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA AND RICKETTSIA PLASMA-LIKE ORGANISMS IN INFECTED TISSUE

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 44: IX International Symposium on Fruit Tree Virus Diseases

APPLE PROLIFERATION DISEASE IN SPAIN: GRAFT TRANSMISSION AND DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA AND RICKETTSIA PLASMA-LIKE ORGANISMS IN INFECTED TISSUE

Author:

A. Peña-Iglesias

Abstract:
The different ways of bud and graft transmissions to 'Golden Delicious' grafted onto apple seedling rootstocks from trees affected by apple proliferation disease are discussed. We do not know the real importance of this disease in Spain.

In ultrathin sections of the midrib of infected leaves and stipules we observed two different kinds of bodies:

Ones in major proportion are highly pleomorphic and are bounded by a single membrane (triple layered) which seem to be mycoplasma-like organisms.
Others in less quantity are bounded by a cytoplasmic membrane and a well-defined rippled cell wall which we believe to be rickettsia-like organisms.

Until now the rickettsia-like organisms have been not described infecting apple trees.

The identification of these new parasites should change the antibiotic therapy of apple proliferation disease and the in vitro culture.

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