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Little Leaf: A Disease of Sweet Potato in Papua New Guinea Probably Caused by Mycoplasma‐Like Organisms
Author(s) -
Pearson M. N.,
Keane P. J.,
Thiagalingham K.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of phytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0434
pISSN - 0931-1785
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0434.1984.tb00717.x
Subject(s) - biology , new guinea , dwarfing , mycoplasma , convolvulaceae , phloem , disease , botany , tetracycline , shoot , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , pathology , medicine , history , ethnology , rootstock
A disease of sweet potato which causes dwarfing and shoot proliferation is reported from the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. The disease primarily effects yield by reducing tuber number and yield reductions of more than 50 % have been recorded. Mycoplasma like organisms have been detected in the phloem cells of diseased plants using electron microscopy and may be the cause of the disease. Early stage infections can be detected using fluorescent light microscopy and this may prove an appropriate method for rapid diagnosis of the disease. Treatment of diseased plants with tetracycline results in temporary symptom remission.