Hosts and symptoms of Plum pox virus: ornamental and wild Prunus species

Several ornamental and wild Prunus species have been identified as natural and/or experimental hosts for Plum pox virus (PPV). The significance of natural vs. experimental hosts, graft or bud-transmitted infections vs. aphid-transmitted infections in ornamental or wild Prunus hosts, and their relevance in the field situation, are not clearly understood. However, since PPV is aphid-transmitted, any host in the field or nursery serves as a potential reservoir and source of inoculum and must be monitored and controlled in any PPV eradication or management programme.     

Hosts and symptoms of Plum pox virus: Herbaceous hosts

Plum pox virus (PPV) is polyphagous and epidemic. Apart from cultivated and wild Prunus species, a large number of herbaceous plants can be hosts of the virus. New herbaceous host species are continuously being reported following artificial inoculation studies. Some of these herbaceous hosts, Chenopodium foetidum , Nicotiana clevelandii , N. benthamiana and Pisum sativum are very useful for concentrating and purifying the virus. The list of plants that have been found to be infected with PPV in their natural environment is shorter than the list of plants which can be experimentally infected. The role of weed species in PPV survival and spread in orchards is poorly understood. It is widely accepted that annual plants or weeds are not important in the epidemiology of PPV.     

Unravelling the Prunus/Plum pox virus interactions

Plum pox virus (PPV) belongs to the genus Potyvirus that contains the largest number of virus species infecting plants. Its virus genome has been extensively characterised and sequenced. However, few data are available on its interactions with woody host plants. We therefore focused, in the past 4 years, both on the cellular and molecular aspects of the compatible and incompatible Prunus /PPV interactions. GFP (Green fluorescent protein)-tagged PPV and in situ hybridisation were used to compare the localization of viral particles in stems and leaves of susceptible and resistant apricot cultivars. In parallel, molecular tools were developed through the cloning and characterization of polymorphic, homologous resistance genes and of candidate genes involved in the expression of Prunus /PPV interactions. Candidate genes are currently used to target genomic regions involved in resistance or susceptibility and to identify molecular markers indispensable for further marker assisted selection for resistance to sharka disease.     

用二重PCR方法检测李痘病毒和李坏死环斑病毒

以我国两种重要的检疫性木本植物病毒李痘病毒和李坏死环斑病毒为对象,研究了二重PCR的检测方法,为我国口岸对这两种病毒的检疫提供了一条更为灵敏有效的新方法。     

Susceptibility of some woody plant species,mainly Prunus spp., to sharka (plum pox) virus

Thirty-eight woody plant species and cultivars, mainlyPrunus spp., were examined for their susceptibility to sharka virus. Seven species belonging to the subgeneraPrunophora andAmygdalus were susceptible. Twenty-eight species, belonging to the subgeneraAmygdalus, Cerasus, Padus andLaurocerasus proved to be immune. No certainty exist about three species. InP. amygdalo-persica grafted on ‘Common Mussel’ plum rootstock, the virus was detected in the rootstock but not in the species.     

Identification of Plum pox virus Determinants Implicated in Specific Interactions with Different Prunus spp

ABSTRACT The characterization of pathogenic properties of two infectious clones of Plum pox virus (PPV) isolates, pGPPV (D group) and pGPPVPS (M group), was investigated in their woody hosts (seedlings of Prunus spp.). The two clones differed in their ability to infect plum and peach cultivars, from no infection to local and systemic infection. The phenotype determinants were located with a set of chimeric viruses from the two clones. In plum, determinants of systemic infection were located in a genomic fragment encoding the P3 and 6K1 proteins, which might influence genome amplification or virus movement. The capacity of pGPPVPS to induce stable local and systemic infections in peach was not located accurately and might be influenced by multiple determinants carried by different regions of the genome, excluding those encoding the protein 1, the majority of helper component, nuclear inclusions a and b, and coat protein. We conclude that PPV infections of plum and peach are governed by different determinants.     

Detection of Plum pox virus: biological methods

This paper describes biological testing techniques for Plum pox virus (PPV), focussing in particular on woody indicators such as Prunus persica (L.) Batsch GF305 and P. tomentosa (Thunb.) Wall.     

Detection and characterization of Plum pox virus: serological methods

Tremendous progress has been made in the research and development of Plum pox virus (PPV) serological reagents and methods in recent years. Two facts have revolutionised the serological detection and characterization of the virus: the development of the ELISA method in 1977, and the later emergence of specific monoclonal antibody technology. The availability of commercial kits has popularised PPV diagnosis, now making diagnosis possible at large scale for quarantine purposes, eradication programmes and control of the disease in nurseries. The use of the universal monoclonal antibody 5B-IVIA, used in DASI-ELISA, is the most accurate system for routine PPV detection. Likewise, the use of typing monoclonal antibodies gives exact characterization of the main PPV types described: 4DG5 for PPV-D, AL for PPV-M, EA24 for PPV-EA, and TUV and AC for PPV-C. There is, in general, an excellent correlation between serological data obtained with PPV specific monoclonal antibodies and data obtained by molecular PCR based methods. ELISA using a single or a mixture of monoclonal antibodies will remain the preferred method for universal detection and routine screening of PPV for years to come. Today, other serological methods and reagents are also recommended in the EPPO Diagnostic Protocol, increasing the number of reliable tests available for PPV detection. These developments have helped to control sharka disease in recent years. International co-operation in this field has been crucial to the improvement and validation of serological tools for PPV detection and characterization.     

李痘病毒及其风险分析

李痘病毒是危害核果类果树的重要病原物,具有传播迅速的特点,已被多个国家列为检疫性有害生物。本文对李痘病毒生物学特性等方面进行综述,通过分析该病毒的传播和定殖规律,并根据我国的具体生态情况,对其传入的可能性进行风险分析,结果认定其传入的可能性较大,需要制定严格的检疫措施,严防传入中国。     

Breeding for resistance: breeding for Plum pox virus resistant apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) in Spain

Plum pox virus , Dideron type (PPV-D), was first detected in Spain in 1984. Since then, it has spread among Japanese plum trees and apricot trees has been extremely rapid in the main producing areas. In Spain, breeding for resistance was the only efficient method for controlling the disease on apricot. Two breeding programmes are currently producing new hybrids resistant to the disease. The main problem encountered by both programmes is the difficult procedure needed for screening the trait that delays the programmes. Nevertheless, more than 8000 seedlings have been produced, two new varieties have been released and several advanced selections are under study. The procedure for screening sharka resistance has varied by techniques and cultivars used which has resulted in different hypotheses about inheritance of the trait. Additionally, several studies on mapping and molecular markers in progress could provide markers for molecular assisted selection that can increase the breeding efficiency.     

Breeding for resistance: breeding for Plum pox virus resistant plums (Prunus domestica L.) in Germany

In German plum breeding programmes new varieties tolerant to Plum pox virus (PPV) were initially obtained by selecting hybrids originating from crossings between tolerant old varieties while, later on, sharka tolerant varieties bred in Čačak, Serbia were used as crossing partners. Varieties released from these programmes replaced the sensitive ones in all sharka infected regions in Germany. While all the new tolerant varieties can be infected by the virus, PPV symptoms on the fruits are acceptable. However, environmental factors can weaken the plant, causing them to suffer more from PPV infections and to display worse symptoms on fruits, as did occur during some recent very dry and warm years. A breeding programme at the University of Hohenheim is tackling this problem with genotypes that show a hypersensitive response after infection. These genotypes are completely field resistant to PPV, remaining virus free in the field since they cannot be infected via aphid transmission. They are able to isolate the virus after infection. The first hypersensitive variety was 'Jojo'. Many seedlings originating from crossings with at least one hypersensitive parent are under evaluation. Since the inheritance of the trait 'hypersensitivity against PPV' is very good, combining hypersensitivity with excellent fruit quality and good cropping capacity will be possible soon. In 2005, a breeding programme for hypersensitive Prunus genotypes began at the Technical University of Munich.     

Control and monitoring: eradication of Plum pox virus in Switzerland

In 1967, sharka disease ( Plum pox virus ; PPV) was detected for the first time in Switzerland. By the end of the 1970s, the disease was considered as eradicated after a rigorous campaign of survey and eradication. Since then, periodical inspections and random testing of imported plants and young orchards have been performed by Swiss plant protection services. This permitted the detection of outbreaks of PPV in 2004. Consequently, a new survey and eradication campaign began.     

Breeding for resistance: conventional breeding for Plum pox virus resistant apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) in Greece

A large apricot breeding programme has been conducted at NAGREF-Pomology Institute, Naoussa-Greece, for the control of sharka disease, since 1989. Ten apricot cultivars of North American origin: 'Stark Early Orange', 'Stella', 'NJA2', 'Sunglo', 'Veecot', 'Harlayne', 'Henderson', 'Goldrich', 'Orangered' and 'Early Blush', selected for their resistance to the highly virulent local strain of Plum pox virus (PPV)-M (Marcus), have been used as parents in crosses with quality cultivars, mainly with the local cv. Bebecou, from 1989 to 2003. Approximately 7000 hybrids have been created. Resistance to PPV was the main criterion of selection. Most hybrids have been subjected to artificial inoculation by PPV-M and examined for symptom expression for more than five years. Indexing to GF-305, as well as laboratory diagnostic tests, have been applied. The genetic analysis showed that: (1) 50% of the hybrids inherited resistance to PPV in the families where cvs. Stark Early Orange, NJA2, Sunglo, Veecot and Harlayne were used as a parent, and (2) 100% of the hybrids inherited resistance to PPV in the families where cv. Stella was one of the parents. Resistance to PPV appears to be under simple genetic control involving one gene locus. Promising apricot selections resistant to PPV-M have been released.     

Control and monitoring: Plum pox virus quarantine situation in France

Sharka disease caused by Plum pox virus (PPV) is present in several areas in France, and its total eradication from the territory is not considered feasible. Although sharka falls under mandatory control measures, the objective is, in the infected areas, to contain the disease in the orchards at sufficiently low levels so that the production remains economically viable. In parallel, official controls are carried out to guarantee that plants for planting, including seedlings, which are moved in trade are free from PPV.     

Plum pox virus: diagnosis and spread inhibition by weed control

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Plum pox virus (PPV) is a plant virus (genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) infecting stone fruit trees. Since the first report from Bulgaria in 1917, PPV...     

Plum pox in north america: identification of aphid vectors and a potential role for fruit in virus spread

ABSTRACT Thirteen aphid species were tested for their ability to transmit Pennsylvania isolates of Plum pox virus (PPV) collected in Columbia (PENN-3), Franklin (PENN-4), and York (PENN-7) Counties, PA. Four species, Aphis fabae, A. spiraecola, Brachycaudus persicae, and Myzus persicae, consistently transmitted PPV in preliminary transmission tests. Two species, Metopolophium dirhodum and Rhopalosiphum padi, were occasional inefficient vectors. Toxoptera citricida, from Florida, also was an effective vector but it does not occur in major stone-fruit-growing states. Species not transmitting PPV in parallel tests included Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis glycines, Aulacorthum solani, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Rhopalosiphum maidis, and Sitobion avenae. When given a 3-day probing access period simultaneously on PPV-infected peach seedlings and healthy peach seedlings, Myzus persicae, Aphis spiraecola, A. fabae, and B. persicae transmitted PPV to 63, 31, 38, and 32% of the healthy peach seedlings, respectively. When given a similar probing period on PPV-infected peach fruit and healthy peach seedlings, the same aphid species transmitted PPV to 50, 35, 0, and 0% of seedlings, respectively. Results support the hypothesis of secondary PPV spread by indigenous aphids in Pennsylvania, and suggest that PPV-infected fruit has the potential to function as a virus source for long-distance dispersal.