Wright, Alice Ann


Publications
4

Putting ‘X’ into context: the diversity of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ strains associated with the induction of X-disease

Citation
Molnar et al. (2024). Plant Disease
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma pruni
Abstract
Recurrent epiphytotics of X-disease, caused by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’, have inflicted significant losses on commercial cherry and peach production across North America in the last century. During this period, there have been multiple studies reporting different disease phenotypes, and more recently, identifying different strains through sequencing core genes, but the symptoms have not, to date, been linked with genotype. Therefore, in this study we collected and assessed differing disea

Physiological and Transcriptomic Analysis of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ Infection in Prunus persica

Citation
Wright et al. (2023). PhytoFrontiers™ 3 (2)
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma pruni
Abstract
‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ is the causative agent of X-disease on peach ( Prunus persica) trees. Infected trees exhibit premature yellowing, leaf necrosis causing a shot-hole appearance, limb dieback, and eventual death. How pathogen infection leads to these symptoms is unknown. This study undertook a modern characterization of the disease by assessing the physiological and transcriptomic consequences of phytoplasma infection. Phytoplasma titer was high in the symptomatic tissues and undet

Titer and Distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ in Prunus avium

Citation
Wright et al. (2022). Phytopathology® 112 (7)
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma pruni
Abstract
‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ infection in cherries causes small, misshapen fruit with poor color and taste, rendering the fruit unmarketable. However, this is a disease with a long development cycle and a scattered, nonuniform symptom distribution in the early stages. To better understand the biology as well as the relationship between pathogen titer and disease expression, we carried out seasonal, spatial, and temporal examinations of ‘Ca. P. pruni’ titer and distribution in infected orchard

Effect of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ Infection on Sweet Cherry Fruit

Citation
Wright et al. (2021). Phytopathology® 111 (12)
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma pruni
Abstract
In sweet cherry (Prunus avium), infection by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ results in small fruit with poor color and taste, rendering the fruit unmarketable. Yet the disease pathology is poorly understood, particularly at the cultivar level. Therefore, in this study we examined the physiological effects of Ca. P. pruni infection across a range of cultivars and locations in eastern Washington. We found that infection could be separated into early and established stages based on pathogen titer,