Squash leaf curl begomovirus found in Israel
The NPPO of Israel (PPIS) informed the EPPO Secretariat of the presence of Squash leaf curl begomovirus (SLCV - EPPO A1 list) in Israel. In Autumn 2002, severe leaf curling symptoms were observed on cultivated squash (Cucurbita pepo) in an agricultural settlement near Jerusalem and thereafter by delimiting surveillance in other cucurbit-growing areas around the country. SLCV was found affecting the field crops squash (Cucurbita pepo), pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and melon (Cucumis melo), as well as the wild weed hosts Ecballium elaterium (Cucurbitaceae) and Malva nicaeensis (Malvaceae). Surveillance is being maintained and further scientific study are being undertaken. The status of this pest in Israel is declared as: Present.
Sources
NPPO of Israel, 2003-09.
Antignus, Y.; Lachman, O.; Pearlsman, M.; Omer, S.; Yunis, H.; Messika, Y.; Uko, O.; Koren, A. (2003) Squash leaf curl geminivirus - a new illegal immigrant from the Western Hemisphere and a threat to cucurbit crops in Israel. Abstracts of presentations made at the 24th Congress of the Israeli Phytopathological Society.
Phytoparasitica 31(4), p 415.
Also available on Internet: http://www.phytoparasitica.org