Abstract
Andalusia, southern Spain, is a major horticultural production region within the Mediterranean, where over 10,000 ha are dedicated to the production of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Approximately two-thirds of the area dedicated to this crop is in a greenhouse and the remaining one-third is comprised of open field crops. Using pepper as a model, we identified and compared the major diseases caused by viruses in the different geographic regions and agronomic systems within the region. Symptomatic samples were collected during 2009 and analyzed by ELISA and RT-PCR for the presence of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Potato virus Y (PVY), Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Parietaria mottle virus (PMoV). Contingency table analysis showed a significant relationship between the presence of major diseases caused by viruses in pepper crops and the different agrosystems in terms of location (inland versus coastal), disease control management (chemical versus integrated), cropping system (open field versus greenhouse), and virus-resistant versus susceptible cultivars. Pepper crops in plastic-covered greenhouses were predominantly associated with arthropod-transmitted virus diseases, such as TSWV. CMV was predominant in provinces located inland, and PMoV was found independent of the agrosystem, disease control methods, or geographic location.
Highlights
Increasing numbers of virus species cause diseases in horticulture crops worldwide
Potato virus Y (PVY) were less frequently detected: 4.71% of samples contained one of the tobamoviruses (ToMV, Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) or Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV)), and only 1.35% of samples had PVY. All of these virus species are commonly found in Andalusia not all viruses were detected in all provinces
Within Andalusia, open field pepper crops suffered mostly from seed-transmitted viruses and those that are aphid-transmitted such as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) (Tables 2 and 4)
Summary
Increasing numbers of virus species cause diseases in horticulture crops worldwide. These crops are grown in different geographic locations, each with their own environmental and agro-technical features. There exists an infinite range of agrosystems developed to reduce the effect of pests and diseases and to improve agronomic productivity These agrosystems could be considered ecological communities in which plant pathogens have their own dynamics, defined for example by host suitability, climate, and vectors [1]. An element determining the success of control can be the existence of arthropod pest and disease reservoirs surrounding the greenhouses, associated with wild vegetation, or with open-field cultivated crops [4]. This holds for plant viruses, and examples exist where the incidence in outdoor crops during seasonal periods is Horticulturae 2016, 2, 15; doi:10.3390/horticulturae2040015 www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae
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