Detection and eradication of Plum pox potyvirus M strains in Aragón (Spain)
Plum pox potyvirus (PPV – EPPO A2 list) was first found in Spain in 1984. Since then, PPV spread mainly along the Mediterranean coast infecting Japanese plums (Prunus salicina, with little or no fruit damage) and apricots (P. armeniaca, with severe damage). Few peach trees were found infected, and those mainly due to the use of infected rootstocks. Extensive surveys were routinely done in Spain on the occurrence and characterization of PPV strains. So far, only PPV-D strains had been detected in Spain. At the end of June 2002, the Plant Protection Service of Aragón detected PPV-M in 3 plots of peach trees (P. persica ‘Royal Gem’) of unknown origin. PPV-M was later detected in a few other peach cultivars (‘Gladys’ ‘Calante’) in the vicinity of the first finding, as a result of natural transmission by aphids. In July/August 2002, an eradication programme was implemented and 20 ha of infected peach trees were destroyed. Surveys performed in 2003/2004 confirmed the absence of PPV-M in Aragón.
Sources
Cambra MA, Crespo J, Gorris MT, Martínez MC, Olmos A, Capote N, Cambra M (2004) Detection and eradication of Plum pox virus Marcus type in Aragón (Spain). Acta Horticulturae, no. 657, 231-235.