Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Sweetpotato little leaf (055)

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Photo 1. The first symptom on a young sweetpotato leaf with little leaf phytoplasma is a "vein-clearing"; the veins are clearly seen, even the small ones.

Photo 2. The vines infected by little leaf phytoplasma appear bushy; leaves are small and there are many small shoots along the vines.

Photo 3. The leafhopper, Orosius lotophagorum ryukyuensis, spreads the little leaf phytoplasma.

Summary

• Widespread distribution. Asia, Africa, Oceania. On sweetpotato and relatives. Occasionally, an important disease.
• Veins on young leaves show clearly, side shoots grow, becoming bushy, erect, with small leaves.
• Caused by bacteria-like organism in phloem tubes.
• Spread by leafhoppers that feed on diseased plants then infect others after 20 days. More important in dry times. Storage root yields absent or very low.
• Cultural control: plant only disease-free vines; do not plant near infected crops; remove affected plants when seen; collect and burn trash after harvest.
• Chemical control: PDPs: derris, pyrethrum, or chilli; or synthetic pyrethroids.

Common Name

Sweetpotato little leaf, sweetpotato witches' broom

Scientific Name

Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia

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