Persistence of the European Stone Fruit Yellows Phytoplasma in Aerial Parts of Prunus Taxa during the Dormant Season

Abstract

Fluorescence microscopy and PCR as well as graft transmission experiments were employed to examine the persistence of the European stone fruit phytoplasma in the stem of various Prunus taxa during the dormant season. Both approaches revealed that the phytoplasma pathogen persists in the aerial parts of the trees in all stone fruit taxa examined.