Research Information System
KSU TARIM VE DOGA DERGISI-KSU JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURE, vol.27, pp.1087-1094, 2024 (ESCI)
Sharka is the most destructive viral disease of Prunus species caused by
the plum pox virus (PPV). A unique strain of PPV has been identified
from Turkey and named as PPV-Turkey (PPV-T). Being obligate
parasitic organisms, viruses cannot be cultured in artificial nutrient
media. Weeds play a significant role in virus ecology and epidemiology
as they serve as alternative hosts for plant viruses and food for virus
vectors. This study investigated the indicator potential of some weeds
(such as Chenopodium album and Amaranthus retroflexus) for PPV-T.
C. album and A. retroflexus plants were inoculated by dusting three
leaves on each 3-week-old plant. A homogeneous group of 10 plants
grown singly in pots was inoculated with PPV-T. Mock- and noninoculated plants were used as negative controls. Inoculated plants
were monitored daily for symptom development. The PPV-T inoculated
leaves were tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR) following the appearance of symptoms. The results of the
indicator test revealed that C. album (6 out of 10 plants) and A.
retroflexus (10 plants) reacted with the infection. Initially, this indicator
reacted with local symptoms, and later symptoms of systemic infection
occurred.