Zebra chip

[2][3] When fried, potato tubers from infected plants develop unsightly black lines resembling the stripes of zebras that render the chips unsellable.

[1] One of the scientists also reported that targeting the suspected hosts, psyllids, with insect control measures proved effective at stopping the disease.

Though early reports suggested the cause might be a bacterium, namely Candidatus Liberibacter, studies have not been able to consistently associate any phytoplasmas with the disease.

[7][9] It is currently postulated that the potato psyllid[10] acts as a vector for the disease's unknown pathogen, as it is the only organism consistently associated with zebra chip.

[13] Many zebra chip symptoms are evident before the potato is even harvested; foliar signs include chlorosis, leaf scorching, swollen nodes, vascular tissue browning, and curled leaves.

Zebra chip has been noted among potato disease experts as being unusually complex, and possibly the product of two separate pathogens, as has been discovered before for basses richesses (SBR) and spraing.

[5][14] Partners of the CABI-led programme, Plantwise, including the Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería (SAG) in Honduras provide several recommendations for managing Zebra chip in potato.

[15] Much of the economic impact of zebra chip stems not from edibility issues, but cosmetic ones; while not deemed hazardous to one's health, infected potatoes are visually unappealing and will not be purchased by processing companies.

Having previously blocked imports of potatoes, Australia expanded that ban to include capsicum, tomatoes, cape gooseberries, tomatillos, and five other crops.