Shoot-Tip Grafting In Vitro to Obtain Citrus Planting Material Free of Graft-Transmissible Pathogens and for the Safe Movement of Citrus Budwood

Abstract

The diseases caused by viruses, viroids, bacteria and phytoplasms resulting in important economic losses are widely disseminated globally as a result of their propagation by grafting without sanitary control on the trees taken as source of the buds. Top-working is also a major form in which all graft-transmissible pathogens are spread. Although insect vectors exist for some of the pathogens, man has been undoubtedly their main transmitter.