- 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.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Tomato big bud (212)
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Summary
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, et al. 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, et al. (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.
