Plant Protect. Sci., 2000, 36(4):128-131 | DOI: 10.17221/9644-PPS

Outbreak of a new phytoplasma disease of onion in the Czech RepublicOriginal Paper

Jaroslav Polák, Milan Jokeš

In 1999, split vegetation tops in onions, cv. Stutgartska, grown in the surroundings of Prague, Bohemia, were observed. Such plants developed two or more bulbs from one originally planted. In addition, irregular and asymmetrical drying of the apical parts of outer skirts and in some cases scaling of the outer parts of divided bulbs occurred. Such divided bul bs suffered su bstantially higher damage during storage in winter; premature budding and grow the of individual parts was frequent. Further splitting of the vegetation tops into two to five parts and followed by premature budding was observed in individual parts of divided bulbs. Ultrathin sections were prepared from roots and leaves of divided bulbs. Phytoplasma bodies were found in tissues of both roots and leaves. Such bodies were not found in roots and leaves of healthy looking and undivided bulbs.

Keywords: phytoplasma disease; onion; vegetation top splitting; ultrathin section; roots; electron microscopy; phytoplasma bodies

Published: December 31, 2000  Show citation