The Prevalence of Three Viruses Infecting Fig in Southern Turkey

Abstract

In a survey of four fig-growing provinces of Turkey (Adana, Hatay, Sanliurfa and Mersin), 132 samples were tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assess the presence of Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 1 (FLMaV-1), Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2) and Fig mosaic virus (FMV). All samples were negative in PCR to FLMaV-1, whereas FLMaV-2 and FMV were detected in six (4.5%) and 10 (7.6%) of the samples, respectively. Both viruses were found in fig trees collected in the provinces of Adana, Hatay and Sanliurfa, but no infection was found in Mersin province. Sequence analysis of amplified DNA showed a level of nucleotides variability ranging from 1 to 10% for FLMaV-2 and from 6 to 17% for FMV isolates. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the Turkish FLMaV-2 isolates in one cluster together with other near-eastern FLMaV-2 isolates previously reported in GenBank.