Citrus exocortis is a disease of citrus plants, caused by the Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd). It can cause stunted growth and reduced yields in affected plants. The disease is also sometimes called "scalybutt".[1] CEVd can also infect tomato plants. The resulting disease is sometimes called "tomato bunchy top disease".[2][3]
Other symptoms include leaf epinasty, stunting, and necrosis of the leaf midvein. Affected trees will show rootstock "shelling" where the bark peels off of the rootstock – the lower tree that the main orange cultivar was grafted onto. Generally trifoliate orange rootstocks and their hybrids are susceptible.[4]
Infected trees should be culled from the orchard. When pruning in infected orchards, tools must be vigorously bleached between cuts to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of infections. Heat does not kill the viroid.[4]
