EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON FRUIT TREE MYCOPLASMA DISEASES IN THE EASTERN REGION OF SPAIN

In two previous works, the epidemiology of apricot chlorotic leaf roll (ACLR) in the eastern region of Spain was studied. We have continued analysing the epidemiology of the apple proliferation and also a series of new diseases that we have been naming as European yellows of peach, pear, plum, Japanese plum, apricot, almond, etc.

The perennial herbaceous species, field bindweed -Convolvulus arvensis L.- and Bermudagrass -Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.- appear to be presumed herbaceous hosts for each one of the above diseases. This fact, together with the correlations observed among spreads of different diseases, lead to the presumption that all the diseases under study (ACLR, apple proliferation, European yellows) are being caused by a single pathogen agent, mycoplasma-like, which appears to contain different races and strains.