Distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ and its vector Cacopsylla pruni in European fruit‐growing areas: a review |
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| Authors: | R Steffek S Follak N Sauvion G Labonne A MacLeod |
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| Institution: | 1. Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, AGES, , Vienna, Austria;2. National Institute for Agronomic Research, INRA, , Montpellier, France;3. The Food and Environment Research Agency Sand Hutton, , York, YO41 1LZ UK |
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| Abstract: | European stone fruit yellows (ESFY) is an EU‐listed I/AII disease affecting Prunus spp. caused by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’. This paper reports the results from a systematic literature review approach that sought to determine the geographic distribution of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’ in European fruit‐growing areas. Evidence for the presence of the phytoplasma was found for 15 of the 27 EU countries. It is prevalent in the most important stone fruit production areas of Central and Southern Europe, where it causes substantial impact in apricots (Prunus armeniaca), Japanese plums (P. salicina) and peaches (P. persica). In Northern European areas where these hosts are not produced, it is occasionally found on tolerant species (P. domestica). However, because surveys of the disease status of tolerant hosts are not performed, it remains unclear whether the pathogen is absent in Northern Europe or survives in tolerant cultivated or wild hosts. No reports of ESFY were found from the southernmost part of Europe: Portugal, Spain (Andalucia, Castile–La Mancha), Italy (Sicily, Puglia), Greece (Crete), Cyprus and Malta. This may be explained by the absence of the favoured wild hosts of the vector. Moreover, it remains unclear if the vector finds suitable conditions for aestivation and overwintering in these regions. |
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