Situation of several viruses and MLOs in Neareastern countries
Situation of Prunus viruses in Neareastern countries
Report RAB/86/018 of UNDP/FAO on 'Fruit Crop Sanitation in the Mediterranean and Neareast Region - status and requirements' reviews the status of various virus and virus like diseases of Prunus in Neareastern countries (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey). A survey was performed by Dr Dunez, INRA, Pont-de la-Maye, FR, including ELISA testing for prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus, prune dwarf ilarvirus, apple mosaic ilarvirus, strawberry latent ringspot nepovirus, tomato ringspot nepovirus, tomato black ring nepovirus, apple chlorotic leaf spot closterovirus and plum pox potyvirus. Peach seedling indexing was also used. The situation for several viruses of interest to EPPO is summarized below.
Plum pox potyvirus (EPPO A2 list)
Confirmed in Turkey, Syria (EPPO Reporting Service 468) identified for the first time in Cyprus (North and South) and Egypt. Not apparently present in any African country than Egypt. Specifically, not known in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Not recorded in Israel, Lebanon or Libya.
Tomato ringspot nepovirus (EPPO A2 list)
This virus does not occur in Prunus in the EPPO region. Though suspect symptoms were seen in certain collections in the survey, the presence of the virus was not confirmed.
MLOs
No clear occurrences of MLOs were detected, though a few suspect cherry and peach were seen. This confirms that apricot chlorotic leafroll MLO (EPPO A2 list) does not occur in the Neareast, nor is there any indication that any of the North American Prunus MLOs occur there.
Sources
UNDP/FAO Report RAB/86/018.