The presence of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni in Iran is considered doubtful
In 2005, a report on the detection of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (EPPO A2 list) in samples of sweet and sour cherry (Prunus avium, P. cerasus) and plum (P. domestica), was published (Jami et al., 2005). This was the first record of this bacterium in Iran (EPPO RS 2006/059). However, more recent studies questioned the presence of X. arboricola pv. pruni in Iran (Zarei et al., 2019). In this study, 94 stone fruit orchards were surveyed from July 2015 to June 2017. In total, 189 Prunus spp. samples were collected from 10 provinces and tested with molecular techniques. All results were negative for X. arboricola pv. pruni. In addition, it is explained that following the first report of the bacterium in 2005, several studies were conducted to monitor the distribution and epidemiological impact of the disease in Iran, but all attempts to isolate X. arboricola pv. pruni were unsuccessful. Furthermore, as in the original report no reference strain of X. arboricola pv. pruni was used in pathogenicity and biochemical tests, it is no longer possible to evaluate the validity of this past data. It is now considered that this initial record of X. arboricola pv. pruni in Iran is doubtful and that there is not sufficient data to state that the disease currently occurs in Iran.
The situation of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni in Iran can be described as follows: Absent, a record published in 2005 is now considered to be doubtful.
Sources
Jami F, Kazempour MN, Elahinia SA, Khodakaramian G (2005) First report of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni on stone fruit trees in Iran. Journal of Phytopathology 153(6), 371-372.
Zarei S, Taghavi SM, Banihashemi Z, Hamzehzarghani H, Osdaghi E (2019) Etiology of leaf spot and fruit canker symptoms on stone fruits and nut trees in Iran. Journal of Plant Pathology (early view). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-019-00283-w