FAO Plant Protection Bulletin (1992) 40, p. 89 (Kersting et al.)

U. Kersting, Ç. Sengonca and A. Çinar (1992)
Detection of Spiroplasma citri in non-citrus host plants and their associated leafhopper vectors in southern Turkey
FAO Plant Protection Bulletin 40 (3), 89-89
Abstract: Stubborn is one of the most important citrus diseases in the eastern Mediterranean region and the Near East. The occurrence of inoculative cicadellid vectors far from any citrus-growing area suggests the wide distribution of non-citrus hosts. In this study three new host plants of the stubborn disease pathogen Spiroplasma citri Saglio et al. were found in the Çukurova region of Turkey: Crepis echioides (L.) All., Echium sp. and Sesamum indicum L. Of high significance is sesame, an important crop in the region. The only known vector of S. citri in the Mediterranean region, Circulifer opacipennis (Lethierry) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), was the most abundant of all encountered leafhopper species on sesame, which was highly infected with S. citri. The authors propose that S. indicum and its associated C. opacipennis population have an important role in the epidemiology of stubborn disease of citrus.
Database assignments for author(s): Cetin Sengonca

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment - cropping system/rotation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spiroplasma citri	Citrus (genus)	Turkey
	Spiroplasma citri	Sesame (Sesamum indicum)	Turkey
	Circulifer opacipennis	Sesame (Sesamum indicum)	Turkey