Antibiotic treatment for control of tree diseases associated with mycoplasma-like organisms.

Tetracycline-induced remission of the development of symptoms has been used as an aid in the diagnosis of plant diseases associated with mycoplasma-like organisms and, in a few cases, for field control of some tree diseases. Infusion and injection into the trunk are the most widely adopted methods for the treatment of trees with the antibiotic. Initial translocation of tetracycline in trees appears to occur in the xylem, but transfer to the phloem is a prerequisite for disease control. The duration of persistence of the antibiotic in tissues averages from one to four months, although the duration of remission may range from six months to three years. Precautions must be taken for the prevention of antibiotic residues in fruit and minimization of environmental exposure to the antibiotic.