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Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

Tomato big bud (212)

Photo 1. Upward curling of leaves, and erect nature of branches on tomato caused by big bud, Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia.

Photo 2. Tomato infected with big bud, Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia, showing short, thick stems and deformed leaves.

Photo 3. Mass of leaves stimulated to form after infection by Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia.

Photo 4. Erect shoots and bushy tomatoes infected by big bud, Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia.

Summary

Uncertain distribution. Many strains infecting different crops, ornamentals and weeds. Usually, a minor disease.
Leaves yellow-green or purple, small, curled, stems thick, erect, flower buds swollen, petals green, and plants bushy as dormant buds grow. Fruit tough.
Spread by leafhoppers moving from weeds to crops when dry.
Cultural control: use a screened nursery; remove volunteers; remove diseased plants; weed; collect and burn trash after harvest.
Chemical control: probably not effective or economic against migrating leafhoppers.

Common Name

Tomato big bud

Scientific Name

Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia; there are several strains of the phytoplasma identified in tomato throughout the world; the strain in the Pacific is in the phytoplasma group/subgroup coded 16SrII. This code refers to analysis of ribosomal RNA.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Diseases of vegetable crops in Australia (2010). Editors, Denis Persley, Tony Cooke, Susan House. CSIRO Publishing; and from D Blancard (2012) Tomato diseases - Identification, Biology and Control. Manson Publishing Ltd., London NWI11 7DL, UK. Photos 2&4 Kohler F, Pellegrin F, Jackson G, McKenzie E (1997) Diseases of cultivated crops in Pacific Island countries. South Pacific Commission. Pirie Printers Pty Limited, Canberra, Australia. Photo 3 Sione Foliaki, Deputy Director and Head of Agricultural Research and Information Division, MAF, Tonga.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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