Prunus Host Range of Plum pox virus (PPV) in the United States by Aphid and Graft Inoculation

Abstract

Plum pox (Sharka) is a serious virus disease of stone fruits caused by the Plum pox virus (PPV). To determine which species could function as potential hosts and virus reservoirs, we used aphid transmission and bud or chip grafting to evaluate the susceptibility of commercial, ornamental, and wild Prunus species to isolates of PPV found in Pennsylvania, USA. Following inoculation, test trees were observed for symptoms, analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), back-assayed to healthy peach, and followed through at least four cold-induced dormancy (CID) cycles over 4 years. Thirty-one of 33 Prunus species and cultivars were systemically infected following aphid transmission. Systemic infection could not be detected in P. cerasus (sour cherry) and P. × ‘Snofozam’ (Snow Fountains) despite repeated aphid inoculation attempts. Following grafting of PPV-infected budwood, all 40 species and varieties became infected, although species differed in their susceptibility. Within most species, some individual plants remained PPV negative throughout the study despite repeated inoculations. Infection in some species could be detected only through quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Most species displayed clear symptoms, were highly positive by ELISA and RT-PCR, and could be back-inoculated into peach seedlings following CID. Our results indicate that a wide range of native and ornamental Prunus species are susceptible to U.S. isolates of PPV-D.

Sharka: The Past, The Present and The Future

“…, Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis Mill.) [5,6,7], sweet cherries ( Prunus avium (L.)) [8,9] and tart cherries ( Prunus cerasus L.) [10,11,12]. PPV is able to infect also important ornamental and wild Prunus L species, including those used in traditional medicine: myrobalan ( P. cerasifera Ehrh.)…”

First report of plum pox virus infecting Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) in Japan

“…Moreover, PPV was detected in several different Japanese apricot cultivars and non-grafted seedlings, indicating aphid transmission of the virus. Our results also show, for the first time, that PPV can naturally infect and spread among Japanese apricot in which only experimental infection has been reported (Damsteegt et al 2007;Hamdorf 1975). Therefore, further investigation of the extent of yield losses of Japanese apricot fruit due to PPV infection will be required.…”

“…PPV-D is the most widely distributed strain of plum pox virus worldwide (EPPO Bulletin 2006) and has a wide experimental host range among Prunus spp. (Damsteegt et al 2007).…”

Regulation of Agricultural Biotechnology: The United States and Canada

“…Almost all species of the genus Prunus are susceptible (Damsteegt et al 2006 ) . Symptoms include fruit deformation, pitting and gumming of fruit fl esh, premature fruit drop, leaf chlorosis, and in highly susceptible varieties, tree decline.…”