Phytoplasma-associated diseases are a major limiting factor to quality and productivity of many ornamentals, horticultural and other economically important agriculture crops worldwide. Annual losses due to phytoplasma diseases in many crops vary, but under the pathogen favorable conditions they always lead to disastrous consequences to farming community. As there is no effective cure for phytoplasma diseases, the management options emphasize on their exclusion, minimizing their spread by insect vectors and propagation materials and on development of host plant resistance. The phytoplasma associated plant diseases have a history of more than 50 years. Phytoplasmas have undoubtedly infected plants and cause diseases for centuries before they are described and proven to be the causal agents. But important progress related to identification of phytoplasmas only began after 1980’s. Phytoplasmas have emerged as the most serious constraints in the production of several crops all around the world during last four decades. Phytoplasmas constitute a major limiting factor to quality and productivity of cereals, horticultural, ornamentals and many other economically important crops all over the world. Annual losses due to phytoplasma diseases may vary, but under the pathogen favorable condition, phytoplasma disease may lead to disastrous consequences for farming and industry community. The scientific literature concerning phytoplasma occurrence, characterization, diagnosis, detection, and management is growing at a fast pace. Significant advancement in the last decades on diagnostic, biological and molecular properties, epidemiology, host-pathogen-insect interactions as well as management of phytoplasmas has been made. Till date, no authentic compilation is available to know the progress of phytoplasmas characterization major crops all over the world. The planned book will compile all the updated information available information on phytoplasmas by distinguished experts in the form of edited book entitled “Characterization and epidemiology of phytoplasma associated diseases”. The book covers recent and update information on emerging and re-emerging phytoplasma diseases affecting important crops in tropics and subtropics. It provides comprehensive information on disease distribution, occurrence, and identification of the phytoplasmas including the recent approaches for diagnostics, transmission, and information about losses and geographical distribution along with and management aspects. This volume contains 11-12 chapters contributed by the experienced and recognized experts working on different group of phytoplasmas affecting major crops all over the world. The information on various topics is at advanced as well as comprehensive level and provides the period wise developments of phytoplasma research. The book covers major chapters on an up to date progress of phytoplasma research, and then phytoplasma diseases associated with vegetable, pulse, oils crops, cereals, sugar crops, fruit crops, ornamentals, medicinal plants, palms species, forest tress and weeds. We have covered historical background, geographical distribution, identification and characterization, genetic diversity, host pathogen interaction and management aspects of important phytoplasma diseases infecting our major agricultural crops. The information on various topics is advanced as well as comprehensive, and provides thought provoking ideas for planning novel research ideas for future. This book will be useful to everyone interested in mollicutes, phytoplasma, spiroplasmas, plant pathology, disease control and plant biology and serve as an exhaustive and up-to-date compendium of references on various aspects of different groups of phytoplasmas affecting important crops worldwide.

This book tries to examine all aspects related to phytoplasmas, their plant hosts and insect vectors. The opening chapter is followed by chapters on sequencing and functional genomics, which relies heavily on comparing phytoplasma genomics with that of other known bacteria. Three chapters take different approaches to differentiation, classification and taxonomy. The first group of chapters relates to aspects of phytoplasmas in plants. The first of these chapters examines the movement of phytoplasmas within the plant and the development of disease. Then look at the biochemical changes precipitated by the replication of the phytoplasma in plants, and finally at aspects of plant resistance. Chapters on the epidemiology of disease in grasses and grapevines delve into the disease process in plants. The last of the plant-related chapters examines epidemiological systems with multiple host plants. It starts with a chapter describing general aspects of insect vectors and their control, followed by an in-depth examination of the psyllid vectors and their control. It concludes with an examination of the distribution and potential spread of phytoplasma diseases and vectors worldwide.

Phytoplasmas are a group of bacteria that are capable of multiplying and causing severe diseases in a wide range of plant species and are transported between plants by insect vectors in which the bacteria can also multiply. Phytoplasmas can cause serious and devastating problems for crop plants, especially in developing countries. In Phytoplasmas: Methods and Protocols experts in the field cover topics pertinent to scientists intending to develop a research program on phytoplasmas. The volume opens with an introductory chapter on the importance of phytoplasma diseases, followed by methods for detection and diagnosis as well as techniques for separating and classifying the phytoplasmas into their different taxonomic groups and subgroups. The final chapters cover methods for separating phytoplasma genomic and plasmid DNA from plant DNA for whole genome sequencing. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Phytoplasmas: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to plant pathologists and molecular biologists aiming to set up a diagnostics facility for identifying the presence of these pathogens in plants or their insect vectors.

Phloem: Molecular Cell Biology, Systemic Communication, Biotic Interactions is a timely collection of research on the cellular and molecular biology of this plant vascular tissue. Recent advances in phloem research have revealed the centrality of this plant tissue to whole plant development and physiology. Building on advances made through developments of new analytical technologies, this book will provide readers with a current and comprehensive reference on the role of phloem in plant growth and development. Collecting the work of a global team of leading researchers, Phloem will provide the reader with a valuable synthesis of the latest research in a single volume.

Phytoplasma Diseases of Major Crops, Trees, and Weeds is the second volume in a three-volume series dedicated to the analysis of plant pathogenic phytoplasmas across Asia. With a close look into the different types of plants affected by phytoplasma, the book offers management strategies to develop resistant plant strains. Phytoplasma diseases pose serious economic losses in many Asian countries, for which there is very little awareness within society. The chapters in Volume 2 comprehensively review predominant plant species and how they are impacted by phytoplasma diseases, providing information on host-pathogen interaction, characterization, and genetic diversity. The Phytoplasma Diseases in Asian Countries series will be an essential read for students, researchers and agriculturalists interested in plant pathology. Volume 2 will be of particular interest to those needing to access the latest information on plant management and successful plant breeding strategies. - Provides the latest information on emerging phytoplasma diseases across Asia - Presents chapters organized by type of plant, such as vegetable, cereals and fruits - Highlights management strategies for developing resistant varieties of crops and plants

This is a comprehensive up-to-date treatise including information on virus-, viroid-, and phytoplasma-induced potato diseases. The chapters of this book were written by internationally well-known experts and include novel techniques of detection, virus isolation, transmission, and epidemiology of the pathogens.

Phytoplasma-associated diseases are a major limiting factor to quality and productivity of many ornamentals, horticultural and other economically important agriculture crops worldwide. Annual losses due to phytoplasma diseases in many crops vary, but under the pathogen favorable conditions they always lead to disastrous consequences to farming community. As there is no effective cure for phytoplasma diseases, the management options emphasize on their exclusion, minimizing their spread by insect vectors and propagation materials and on development of host plant resistance. The phytoplasma associated plant diseases have a history of more than 50 years. Phytoplasmas have undoubtedly infected plants and cause diseases for centuries before they are described and proven to be the causal agents. But important progress related to identification of phytoplasmas only began after 1980’s. Phytoplasmas have emerged as the most serious constraints in the production of several crops all around the world during last four decades. Phytoplasmas constitute a major limiting factor to quality and productivity of cereals, horticultural, ornamentals and many other economically important crops all over the world. Annual losses due to phytoplasma diseases may vary, but under the pathogen favorable condition, phytoplasma disease may lead to disastrous consequences for farming and industry community. The scientific literature concerning phytoplasma occurrence, characterization, diagnosis, detection, and management is growing at a fast pace. Significant advancement in the last decades on diagnostic, biological and molecular properties, epidemiology, host-pathogen-insect interactions as well as management of phytoplasmas has been made. Till date, no authentic compilation is available to know the progress of phytoplasmas characterization major crops all over the world. The planned book will compile all the updated information available information on phytoplasmas by distinguished experts in the form of edited book entitled “Characterization and epidemiology of phytoplasma associated diseases”. The book covers recent and update information on emerging and re-emerging phytoplasma diseases affecting important crops in tropics and subtropics. It provides comprehensive information on disease distribution, occurrence, and identification of the phytoplasmas including the recent approaches for diagnostics, transmission, and information about losses and geographical distribution along with and management aspects. This volume contains 11-12 chapters contributed by the experienced and recognized experts working on different group of phytoplasmas affecting major crops all over the world. The information on various topics is at advanced as well as comprehensive level and provides the period wise developments of phytoplasma research. The book covers major chapters on an up to date progress of phytoplasma research, and then phytoplasma diseases associated with vegetable, pulse, oils crops, cereals, sugar crops, fruit crops, ornamentals, medicinal plants, palms species, forest tress and weeds. We have covered historical background, geographical distribution, identification and characterization, genetic diversity, host pathogen interaction and management aspects of important phytoplasma diseases infecting our major agricultural crops. The information on various topics is advanced as well as comprehensive, and provides thought provoking ideas for planning novel research ideas for future. This book will be useful to everyone interested in mollicutes, phytoplasma, spiroplasmas, plant pathology, disease control and plant biology and serve as an exhaustive and up-to-date compendium of references on various aspects of different groups of phytoplasmas affecting important crops worldwide.

Leafhopper Vectors and Plant Disease Agents is the second in a multivolume series on vectors, vector-borne disease agents, and plant disease spread. This text aims to collect findings in leafhopper vector research, to suggest promising frontiers for further research, and to call attention to possible practical applications of understanding of leafhopper-pathogen-plant interactions. This book is organized into five parts. Opening chapters on the taxonomy, bionomics, and worldwide importance of leafhopper and planthopper vectors are appropriately relegated to Parts I and II. Part III focuses on vector-virus interactions of leafhopper-, planthopper-, and aphid-borne viruses and virus-induced, cytopathological changes in vectors. This part also explains the interactions of mycoplasmalike organisms (MLOs) and viruses in dually infected leafhoppers, planthoppers, and plants, as well as the transitory vector-virus interactions. The artificial and aseptic rearing of vectors, microinjection technique, vector tissue culture, and spiroplasmas and its vectors are all covered in Part IV. Part V contains chapters on specific leafhopper-borne viruses and MLOs, leafhopper and planthopper vector control, leafhopper-borne pathogens of corn-stunting diseases, Western X disease, and leafhopper-borne xylem-restricted pathogens. This text will be valuable for students, teachers, and researchers of vector-pathogen-plant relationships. Its in-depth coverage of leafhoppers and planthoppers as vectors makes this book ideally suited as a supplemental text in graduate entomology and plant pathology courses on insect transmission of plant disease agents.

With 160+ countries and islands, the tropical belt is the geographical region centered on the equator and limited by the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Tropical agricultural production is mostly for local consumption but cash crops are also present. Tropical agriculture is characterized by a significant lack of capital in research and agricultural systems and by a high prevalence of insect pests and diseases. Phytoplasma diseases are associated by bacteria-like pathogens living in plant sap and spread by sap-feeding insects. They are emerging diseases and are difficult to control, mostly because their epidemiology is not known. This book will focus on detection and prevention of phytoplasma diseases in field and horticultural crops grown in the tropical belt. The book will review current prevention methods used in small and large-scale farms, and present research results aiming at developing sustainable management of phytoplasma diseases in the tropics.

This work is to compile our current knowledge on GY phytoplasma biology at the genomic, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics level, as well as to summarize the approaches for their detection.Phytoplasma are the most poorly characterized plant pathogenic bacteria from the Mollicutes class. In recent years new biostatistics and bioinformatics approaches have improved our understanding of their biology and interactions with host grapevines and a great improvement has been made toward their molecular detection, both in laboratories and on-site. They have a broad range of plant hosts among the monocots and dicots, and diseases of many important crops are associated with these pathogens. At least ten taxonomically unrelated phytoplasmas, one of them a quarantine pest in Europe, have been associated with grapevine yellows diseases (GY), which have great economic impact on viticulture worldwide.