Virus diseases of sweet and sour cherry in Albania
A preliminary survey of virus diseases of sweet cherry (Prunus avium) and sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) has been carried, in 1993, in the most important cherry-growing areas of Albania (districts of Pogradec, Lolonj‰; Gjirokast‰r, Vlor‰, Kavaj‰ and especially Kor‡‰ and Dib‰r). Visual observations were made in the field and samples were tested by mechanical transmission to herbaceous hosts and by serological tests (ELISA). Out of the 459 samples tested in the laboratory, 189 sweet (56 %) and 32 sour cherry (26 %) trees have been found infected by at least one of the following viruses: prune dwarf ilarvirus, apple chlorotic leaf spot trichovirus, prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus. In sweet and sour cherries, the predominant viruses are respectively apple chlorotic leaf spot trichovirus, prune dwarf ilarvirus and prune dwarf ilarvirus, prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus. It was also reported that prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus is nearly absent on sweet cherry. The authors stressed that there was a wide range of variation among cultivars. Results were always negative for apple mosaic ilarvirus, tomato ringspot nepovirus (EPPO A2 quarantine pest), raspberry ringspot nepovirus (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) and cherry leaf roll nepovirus.
Sources
Digiaro, M.; Bici, I; Myrta, A. (1994) A survey on virus and virus diseases of sweet and sour cherry in Albania.
Phytopathologia mediterranea, 33 (2), 165-167.