New forest pest in SA
Symptoms includes poor root development, collapse of leaves, yellowing and purpling of leaves and severe vascular discoloration.
IT Is with great concern that Phytoplasma has been detected in th country.
The disease was first identified in June 2012 in the Brits area of Gauteng.
It has since spread to parts of Limpopo, the Freestate and recently in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Phytoplasma is a type of bacteria that does not have a cell wall and is spread by sap sucking insects.
Symptoms includes poor root development, collapse of leaves, yellowing and purpling of leaves and severe vascular discoloration.
The best control method is to breed resistant varieties, but as growers the key to preventing your crop from being infected by Phytoplasma is to control insect vectors, especially leaf hoppers and aphids and to practice good field hygiene.
As and when more information becomes available on this disease, foresters will updated.
