First Report of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Greece

Abstract

Surveys for the detection of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Greece started in 1995 using DAS-ELISA. In June 2000 the virus was recorded for the first time near Argos (North East Peloponnese) on one Lane Late navel orange grafted on the CTV tolerant rootstock Carrizo cit- range. The tree was illegally imported from Spain in 1994, but was labelled Conformitas agraria communitatis (CAC) quality. Twenty trees of the same lot were then traced and nine were found infected. All of these, as well as all their progeny (60 trees in all), were destroyed. Further sur- veys, however, revealed 15 more CTV-infected trees of various varieties, all close to a tree of the initial source, strongly indicating aphid transmission. Three of these trees showed some slight stem-pitting. The other 12 were symptomless. At the same time another 18 trees of the initial ille- gal consignment of Lane Late navel were found in the area of Hania, Crete, and two, both CTV- positive, had been used to establish an orchard of 50 trees which had in turn been used as a source of budwood and thus the number of CTV-positive trees that had to be eradicated in the Hania area went up to 3,500. Recently, CTV was detected in another consignment of nursery plants, certified Clemenpons mandarin on Carrizo citrange rootstock, from Spain. Large-scale testing for CTV by ELISA continues and since 1995 more than 22,000 trees have been tested all over the country. In 2001 testing by immunoprinting was initiated on 3,800 trees.