Rickettsia-like and mycoplasma-like organisms associated with two yellows-type diseases of strawberries in Queensland

Abstract

Two yellows-type diseases occur in Queensland strawberries. Affected plants show purple or bronze pigmentation of older leaves, followed by the production of small chlorotic leaves. Flower production is inhibited, and some affected plants die. Thin-section electron microscopy showed that there were two diseases, one associated with rickettsia-like organisms (RLO) and the other with mycoplasma-like organisms (MLO), both of which were found only in sieve tubes. The MLO disease caused flower abortion but not green petals, and was not transmitted by Orosius argentatus (Evans), the tomato big bud vector. The RLO disease produced more bronze pigmentation and the young leaf chlorosis was interveinal rather than marginal. This organism was sensitive to penicillin, and soil drenches of 1 mg/ml every 5 days for 7 weeks caused complete remission of symptoms. No organisms were seen in thin sections of leaves after treatment. Although these RLO morphologically resembled those associated with rugose leaf curl (RLC) disease of legumes, experiments with the RLC vector Austroagallia torrida Evans indicated that they were probably distinct.