Phytoplasmas: Plant Pathogenic Bacteria-I. Characterization and Epidemiology of Phytoplasma-Associated Diseases

The phytoplasma associated plant diseases have a history of more than 50 years, but the most important progress for their identification only began after 1980’s. Phytoplasmas have emerged as the most serious constraints in the production of several crops all around the world and constitute a major limiting factor to quality and productivity of economically important crops. This book reports the molecular characterization of phytoplasma associated diseases of major crops and updated information on emerging and re-emerging phytoplasma diseases. 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 chapters contributed by experienced and recognized experts working on different group of phytoplasmas affecting the major crops all over the world. It provides an up to date progress about phytoplasma research, and phytoplasma diseases associated with vegetable, pulse, oils crops, cereals, sugar crops, fruit crops, ornamentals, medicinal plants, palms species, forest trees and weeds. The information on various topics is advanced as well as comprehensive, and provides thought provoking ideas for planning novel research for the future. This book will be useful to everyone interested in plant pathogenic bacteria and in particular to 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 phytoplasmas classified in different ribosomal groups and affecting important crops worldwide.