Etiology of Phony Peach and Plum Leaf Scald Diseases

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Abstract
Rickettsia-like bacteria (RLB), previously associated with phony peach disease (PPD) and plum leaf scald (PLS), were transmitted from peach [Prunus persica] trees with PPD symptoms to plum [Prunus sp.] and from plum trees with PLS symptoms to peach by grafts of root sections. Symptoms of PLS appeared on plants of plum cultivars Ozark Premier, Methley, Santa Rosa and Shiro, 9 mo. after they had received root grafts from ''Dixiland'' peach with PPD symptoms. Grafted plum had RLB that appeared identical to those associated with PPD, measuring 0.35 .times. 2.0 .mu.m, and shared similar ultrastructural details, including an outer (rippled) trilaminar membrane in the cell wall profile. Graft-transmitted RLB from plum and from peach reacted positively to immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays conducted with antiserum prepared against RLB associated with PPD.