Study of the Earliest Symptoms of Plum Pox in the Sofia Valley and Vratsa Region

Abstract

Since ancient times, the fruits of the plum have occupied an important place on the table of the Bulgarians. To obtain high and stable yields an important condition is the proper organization and conduct of plant protection activities and the fast, the correct and accurate diagnosis of PPV - Stoneware. In our climate, Plum pattern manifests symptoms first on the first spring leaves. The described symptoms of flowers in different stone species are few and scarce, so we conducted the present study in two following years 2019 and 2020 to describe, differentiate and compare visual symptoms of flowering with the results of DAS-ELISA tests on the leaves of the studied stone species. From the surveyed PPV host species in two orchards 12 mather trees with color symptoms were selected and described in two regions of Bulgaria - the Sofia field (Vrajdebna (1,2 ha) and the Vratsa region (Roman Orchard Nursery (0,4 ha). In a total of 9 samples, PPV infection was confirmed. The established deviations were found only in fruit crops that bloom with white flowers. Based on the results and conclusions, the present study will contribute to the timely detection of the causative agent of pox virus in the earliest symptoms in nurseries and gardens and will provide the right and quick direction to overcome the damage through proper plant protection activities