This is the first record of phytoplasmas associated with die-back diseases of papaya and citrus in Ethiopia. The 16S rDNA phytoplasma sequences of a representative sample of papaya (Genbank acession No. DQ285659) and citrus (Genbank Accession No. DQ286576) were identical and their highest similarity (98%) was with papaya yellow crinkle in Australia (Genbank acession No. Y10097), a member of the 16SrII group (Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia).