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Disease Note. A Disease of Tomato in Kuwait Associated with Mycoplasmalike Organisms. A. M. Jafri, Department of Botany and Microbiology, Kuwait University, Kuwait. J. H. Mirza, Department of Botany and Microbiology, Kuwait University, Kuwait. Plant Dis. 73:701. Accepted for publication 6 March 1989. Copyright 1989 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-73-0701B. A disorder observed in tomatoes grown in the fields and vegetable
gardens in different areas of Kuwait was first suspected of being a
virus disease, but close observation of symptoms suggest the disease
may be similar to big bud of tomato (1,2). The calyx segments remain united, and the whole calyx enlarges to a bladderlike form with a
toothed opening at the top. Phyllody and greening of the flowers
have also been observed, and at times the growing part of the plant
has a witches'-broom appearance. The stem and leaflets thicken, and
the plant appears woody. The disorder is not transmissible by
mechanical means (sap inoculation). Electron microscopy of leaf-dip
and crude extract preparations does not show any virus particles,
but ultrathin sections of infected tissue show mycoplasmalike
organisms (MLOs) in the phloem region of diseased, but not of
asymptomatic, tissue. Electron microscope studies and symptom
expressions suggest that an MLO causes this disorder of tomato. This
is the first report on mycoplasmalike diseases in tomato from Kuwait. |