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Plant Pathogenic Mycoplasmas: Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics

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Mycoplasma Diseases of Crops

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Abstract

Association of wall-less prokaryotes with plants was first reported by Japanese workers in 1967 (13,23). This association has since been reported for more than 100 diseases inflicting damage to a variety of crops of agricultural importance throughout the world (29). Almost all such diseases are disseminated in nature by means of insect vectors, the leaf-hoppers (Cicadel1ids), in a persistent manner. The pathogen undergoes multiplication in both vectors and host plants (51). Most of these diseases were presumed to be caused by viruses in spite of the fact that the causal agents were never morphologically identified. Several of these organisms have not yet been cultured in cell-free medium and are termed as mycoplasma-like organisms (MLOs). These microbes are pleomorphic and wall-less, morphologically and ultrastructurally resembling non-helical mycoplasmas. These are located in the sieve tubes of plants showing symptoms such as leaf yellows, leaf dwarfing, leaf mottling, flower dwarfing, flower virescene, witches’ broom, shortening of internodes, stunting etc.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Branch Ottawa, Chemistry and Biology Research Institute Agriculture Canada, Ontario, Canada, K1A OC6

    Y. K. Arora & R. C. Sinha

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  1. Y. K. Arora
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology and Economic Zoology, Cook College Rutgers—The State University, New Brunswick, 08903, New Jersey, USA

    Karl Maramorosch

  2. IUFRO Working Party on Mycolplasma Diseases, A-61 Alkananda Kalkaji, 110019, New Delhi, India

    S. P. Raychaudhuri

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Arora, Y.K., Sinha, R.C. (1988). Plant Pathogenic Mycoplasmas: Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics. In: Maramorosch, K., Raychaudhuri, S.P. (eds) Mycoplasma Diseases of Crops. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3808-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3808-9_1

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