Murraya paniculata is not a host of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticum’
In Japan, huanglongbing (‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticum’ – EPPO A1 list) occurs in a few islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago, in particular in Okinawa where phytosanitary measures have been applied to avoid any further spread. But in 2002, it was found in other neighbouring islands of the Archipelago (Yoronjima, Okinoerabujima, Tokunoshima and Kikaijima islands which are part of Kagoshima prefecture). Growers asked the authorities to regulate the movements of Murraya paniculata, as they suspected it might be a pathway for the disease. Transmission studies were done by grafting infected Citrus buds to healthy M. paniculata, followed by PCR testing. However, it was not possible to transmit L. asiaticum to M. paniculata. The authors concluded that M. paniculata is not a host plant of L. asiaticum.
Sources
Dai K, Ikeshiro T, Matsuura T, Kimura S, Hamagami A, Fujiwara Y, Kobashigawa Y, Miyakuni S (2005) [Investigation of host range of Candidatus Liberobacter asiaticum – Is Murraya paniculata a host plant of Candidatus L. asiaticum?] Research Bulletin of the Plant Protection Service no. 41, 53-57 (abstract).