Plant Age at the Time of Inoculation Determines Yield Loss in Carrots Infected with 'Candidatus Liberibacter...

'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (Lso) haplotype D, transmitted by the carrot psyllid Bactericera trigonica, is a major threat to carrot production, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East. We investigated the impact of plant age at the time of inoculation on symptom development and yield under greenhouse and outdoor conditions. In greenhouse trials, 1- and 2-month-old plants were inoculated with psyllids harboring Lso. Both age groups showed reduced taproot weight compared with controls, but younger plants were more severely affected, exhibiting 90% yield reduction, while 2-month-old plants showed a 30% reduction. Witches' broom symptoms appeared earlier in plants inoculated at 1 month (5 weeks postinoculation); however, within 2 weeks, plants inoculated at 2 months reached comparable levels of symptom incidence and severity. Additional greenhouse experiments using Lso-free psyllids confirmed that yield losses and disease symptoms were specifically due to Lso infection and not psyllid feeding. In outdoor trials, we tested the effects of inoculation at 7, 11, 15, and 19 weeks postsowing (wps) on disease incidence and yield. Significant yield losses occurred only in plants inoculated at 7 and 11 wps, with up to 45% reduction by harvest time. Symptoms began to appear at 20 wps in plants inoculated at 7 and 11 wps. At 23 wps, symptoms also appeared in plants inoculated at 15 wps, with a similar incidence to that observed in the earlier inoculation groups. Molecular detection of Lso at harvest (23 wps) confirmed that all plants inoculated at 19 wps or earlier were infected. These results demonstrate that carrots are highly susceptible to Lso-induced yield losses at the earlier stages of growth and highlight the importance of managing early season vector pressure to minimize economic damage.