A survey of peach viruses in Lebanon

Abstract

Field surveys were carried out in the main peach‐growing areas of Lebanon to assess the presence and distribution of viruses and viroids in commercial orchards. Field inspections were made in spring and summer 2000 to observe symptoms of virus and viroid diseases respectively. In total, 950 trees in 95 commercial plantings from three different regions of Lebanon (Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon and north Lebanon) were surveyed and sampled. Immunoenzymatic tests (DAS‐ELISA) were used to ascertain the presence of the following: Prunus necrotic ring spot ilarvirus (PNRSV), Prune dwarf ilarvirus (PDV), Apple mosaic ilarvirus (ApMV), Apple chlorotic leaf spot trichovirus (ACLSV), Plum pox potyvirus (PPV), Tomato ringspot nepovirus (ToRSV) and Strawberry latent ringspot nepovirus (SLRSV). Peach latent mosaic pelamoviroid (PLMVd) and Hop stunt hostuviroid (HSVd) were identified by molecular hybridization. About 25% of the tested samples were infected by one or more viruses. In particular, the prevailing virus was PNRSV (61.2% of infection), followed by ACLSV (27.1%), PDV (22.4%) and ApMV (2.1%). Mixed infections were about 13%. ToRSV, SLRSV and PPV were not found. HSVd was apparently absent, whereas PLMVd was identified in 34% of the samples examined. This viroid prevailed in certain areas of Mount Lebanon in both native and foreign cultivars.