Izambane lingesinye sezitshalo ezibalulekile emhlabeni wonke futhi liwumthombo obalulekile wokudla nemali kubalimi abaningi. Kodwa-ke, ukukhula kwemboni yamazambane kuvinjwa yizici ezihlukahlukene, enye yazo i-mycoplasma yamazambane. Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa nge-mycoplasma yamazambane kanye nomthelela wawo ekukhiqizeni amazambane.
I-Potato mycoplasma yisifo esibangelwa amagciwane esithinta izitshalo zamazambane, okubangela ukuqina, ukuphuzi, nokuncipha kwesivuno. Ngokusho kocwaningo lwakamuva, i-potato mycoplasma ingabangela ukulahlekelwa kwesivuno kuze kufike ku-80%, kuya ngobunzima bokutheleleka. Lesi sifo sibangelwa ama-phytoplasmas, okungamagciwane amancane ahlasela izicubu zezitshalo ze-phloem futhi aphazamise ukuthuthwa kwezakhi.
I-mycoplasma yamazambane isakazwa izinambuzane ezifana nama-leafhoppers nama-psyllids, ezidla izicubu ze-phloem zesitshalo. Uma isitshalo sesithelelekile, siba umthombo wezifo ezitshalweni ezingomakhelwane, okungaholela ekusabalaleni kwalesi sifo kuyo yonke insimu. Alikho ikhambi le- potato mycoplasma, futhi indlela engcono kakhulu yokuyilawula ngokusebenzisa izindlela zokuvimbela ezifana nokusetshenziswa kwembewu yamazambane angenazifo, ukulawula amagciwane, kanye nokushintshanisa izitshalo.
Umthelela we- potato mycoplasma ekukhiqizeni amazambane ungaba mkhulu, kokubili mayelana nesivuno kanye nokulahlekelwa kwezomnotho. NgokoMnyango Wezolimo Wase-United States (i-USDA), lesi sifo singabangela ukulahlekelwa kwezomnotho kwaminyaka yonke okufika ku-$25 million ekukhiqizeni amazambane e-United States kuphela.
Sengiphetha, i- potato mycoplasma iyingozi enkulu ekukhiqizeni amazambane futhi ingadala ukulahlekelwa okukhulu kubalimi. Izinyathelo zokuzivikela ezifana nokusetshenziswa kwamazambane angenazo izifo, ukulawula amagciwane kanye nokushintshaniswa kwezitshalo kubalulekile ekulawuleni lesi sifo. Kubalulekile ukuthi uhlale unolwazi mayelana nocwaningo lwakamuva kanye nobuchwepheshe ukuze uvimbele futhi ulawule i-mycoplasma yamazambane ngempumelelo.