VIEW ARTICLE

Physiology and Biochemistry

Effects of Lethal Yellowing on the Composition of the Phloem Sap from Coconut Palms in Jamaica. W. P. C. Stemmer, Visiting graduate student, John Innes Institute, Norwich, England, Present address of senior author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706; D. B. Archer(2), M. J. Daniels(3), A. M. C. Davies(4), and S. J. Eden-Green(5). (2)(3)Postdoctoral fellow, and principal research scientist, respectively, John Innes Institute, Norwich, England; (4)Research scientist, Agricultural Research Council, Food Research Institute, Norwich, England; (5)Plant pathologist/entomologist, Overseas Development Administration, Lethal Yellowing Research Team, Coconut Industry Board, Jamaica. Phytopathology 72:672-675. Accepted for publication 9 July 1981. Copyright 1982 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-672.

The chemical composition of the phloem sap from healthy and lethal yellowing-diseased coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) was analyzed to study the natural habitat of the mycoplasmalike organism found in the sieve tubes of diseased coconut palms. Saps from healthy or diseased palms did not differ significantly in total solids, content; sugar, amino acid, and elemental metal compositions; and protein band patterns on polyacrylamide gels. Phloem sap from their inflorescences, however, differed from trunk sap in total solids content, and in sugar, amino acid, and elemental metal compositions.