Peach X-Disease: Treatment Site Damage and Yield Response Following Antibiotic Infusion

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Abstract
X-diseased [mycoplasmal] scaffolds of peach [Prunus persica] and nectarine [P. persica var. nectarina] infused with oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) produced nearly normal yields. Scaffolds either immediately above treatment sites or infused directly improved most. Treatment site damage was greatest on trees with severe foliar symptoms. Trees infused by gravity and by pipets were damaged less than ones infused by Mauget cups and with concentrated OTC or injected. Calcium chloride, spectinomycin, taurolin and tylosin caused less damage than OTC. Spectinomycin and streptomycin caused severe chlorosis and bud death above treatment sites. Erythromycin, sulfanilamide, taurolin, tylosin, and OTC caused no to moderate chlorosis. Only OTC-treated trees had significant remission of foliar symptoms.