Importance
Aster yellows phytoplasma is an economically important plant pathogen both in agricultural and nursery industries. A 25% reduction in carrot yield is common with losses reaching 80% on occasion. Carrot crops infected with AYP causes symptoms that make the carrots unmarketable. In processed carrots, the presence of 15% of aster yellows-infected carrots results in a rejection of the entire product due to their distasteful flavor. The deformation of flowers and reproductive structures causes seed not to form. This can be a problem in crops that are grown for seed for replanting purposes, or for consumption, such as coriander or caraway. Root stunting can also result in loss of biannual crops over winter.
Similar problems arise in the nursery industry. Homeowners and landscapers purchasing plants do not want to buy an aster flower that is misshapen and has the potential to cause the spread of AYP to other plants. This makes it critical for nurseries to monitor their plants to prevent initial infection of the phytoplasma. Insecticides can be used to limit leaf hopper feeding on nursery stock and as soon as infected plants are seen, they must be removed.
Read more about this topic: Aster Yellows
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—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)
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