BEHAVIOUR OF SIX PRUNUS ROOTSTOCKS IN PRESENCE OF SHARKA (PLUM POX POTYVIRUS)

Sharka (plum pox potyvirus, PPV) severely affects the cultivation of Prunus species, mainly apricot, plum and peach, in the areas affected by this disease.
In this study, the resistance of six widely used Prunus rootstocks to a Dideron type isolate of PPV was evaluated in controlled conditions in an insect-proof greenhouse.
After four cycles of study, ‘GF677’ (P. dulcis × P. persica) hybrid and the ‘Myrobolan’ plum (P. cerasifera) rootstocks did not show any symptoms and were ELISA negative; so they were resistant. ‘Marianna’ plum (P. cerasifera × P. munsoniana) showed slight sharka symptoms and was ELISA positive.
Finally, the ‘GF305’ peach seedlings, usually used as biological indicator of PPV, the ‘Real Fino’ apricot seedlings, widely used as apricot rootstocks in Spain, and the ‘Pollizo’ prune (P. insititia), also used as apricot and plum rootstocks in Spain, proved to be very susceptible to PPV, showing strong symptoms of the disease and being ELISA positive.
The implications of the results obtained in this study in terms of PPV control are discussed.

XII International Symposium on Apricot Culture and Decline

P. Martinez-Gomez, M. Rubio, M. Gambin, F. Dicenta

Prunus, disease control, sharka susceptibility

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.701.34