Phytoplasmas are intracellular obligate prokaryotes that lack cell
walls and have very small genomes (680–1,600 kb). Since the
first report by Doi et al. (1967), phytoplasmas have been
identified as pathogens in different plant genera and in some
cases have caused severe epidemics in major crops such as
grapevine, sugarcane and coconut (Weintraub and Beanland
2006). Phytoplasmas cause complex syndromes with symptoms