PHYTOPLASMA DISEASES OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

Medicinal and aromatic plants include a broad array of wild and cultivated plants which contain many biologically-active compounds, known as phytochemicals, that are of great interest for their ability to promote human and animal health. The present review provides a literature overview of phytoplas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of plant pathology 2016-01, Vol.98 (3), p.379-404
Main Authors: Marcone, C., Bellardi, M.G., Bertaccini, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brooms
Epidemiology
Essential oil crops
Infections
Metabolic diseases
Microbiology
Mollicutes
Offered Review
Phytopathology
Plant diseases
Plants
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Summary:Medicinal and aromatic plants include a broad array of wild and cultivated plants which contain many biologically-active compounds, known as phytochemicals, that are of great interest for their ability to promote human and animal health. The present review provides a literature overview of phytoplasma diseases affecting medicinal and aromatic plants, with an emphasis on phytoplasma taxa associated. An overview of studies that examined the effect of phytoplasma infections on phytochemical content and other secondary metabolites of affected plants is also included. Phytoplasma diseases of medicinal and aromatic plants occur worldwide; however, the majority of reports are from Europe and southeastern Asian countries. These diseases affect plant species belonging to over 70 families, mostly to Apiaceae and Asteraceae. They differ considerably in geographic distribution and size of the various taxonomic groups and subgroups of the associated phytoplasmas. Subgroup 16SrI-B phytoplasmas are the prevalent agents occurring mainly in Europe, North America and Asia. Phytoplasma presence induces changes in the amount and composition of secondary metabolites in diseased plants in which, however, the concentrations of valuable phytochemicals are greatly affected. An exception is represented by phytoplasma diseases of periwinkle in which an accumulation of pharmaceutically important compounds occurs upon phytoplasma infections. Prospects for future research are presented and critically discussed.
ISSN:1125-4653
2239-7264
DOI:10.4454/JPP.V98I3.060