European Stone Fruit Yellows Disease and Its Causal Agent ‘candidatus Phytoplasma Prunorum’

The European stone fruit yellows (ESFY) caused by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’ (‘Ca. P. prunorum’), is a devastating, quarantine phytoplasma disease. This agent leads to serious damage in apricot and Japanese plum orchards, including decline of infected trees. The consequences are considerable economic losses in production. European plum and cherry are less susceptible to ESFY, although the ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ was also detected in these trees in several countries. ESFY seems to be limited to Europe and the neighboring regions (Asia Minor) as its incidence was reported from most of the southern and central European countries, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ is transmitted by Cacopsylla pruni (Scopoli). The impact of ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ on stone fruit trees, as well as the methods of detection and identification and control management are reviewed.