NATURAL SPREAD OF SHARKA DISEASE IN FRUIT TREE ORCHARDS IN MURCIA (SPAIN)

The spread of sharka disease was studied in 5 orchards of apricots and plum trees between 1992 and 1995 in Murcia (SE Spain). The presence of the disease was determined by visual observation of symptoms in leaves and fruits and verified by the ELISA test.
It seems that the disease came into the orchards with infected plants.
Then sharka was transmitted from the infected trees to the healthy ones by natural vectors.
The ELISA test generally validated the results obtained with visual observation of symptoms.
The usual delay (1 or 2 years) in the apparition of symptoms after infection makes the elimination of the disease difficult.
The quick pulling out of infected trees reduced the spread of sharka but generally did not eliminate the disease which was maintained at a very low rate.
Leaving the infected trees in the orchard increased the spread of disease.
Cutting only the branches showing symptoms was not an efficient method to eliminate the disease, which appeared again the following year.

XI International Symposium on Apricot Culture

F. Dicenta, P.J. Pérez-Campoy, P. Martínez-Gómez, J. García-Brunton, M.A. Botella

Plum pox virus, apricot, plum, epidemiology

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.488.129