ISHS Acta Horticulturae 386: XVI International Symposium on Fruit Tree Virus diseases
DETECTION OF PLUM POX VIRUS IN INDIA |
| Authors: | S.V. Bhardwaj, K. Kohosla, D.R. Sharma, P.D. Thakur |
| Abstract:
During early 1960's different collection of stone fruits (including peach, plum, apricots, almonds, and cherries) were imported from Europe and maintained at the National Hortorium Kotkhai, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, in north-western Himalayas, India. These collection in subsequent years became the base for further multiplication and were distributed to Indian farmers. The stone fruit industry in Himachal Pradesh always gave a bleak picture and pre-mature fruit dropping, especially in plums had been an all time concern. Fruits showed no typical symptoms of plum pox virus (PPV). Samples from degenerated plants of peach, plum and almond tested positive in ELISA against PPV antiserum received from East Malling Research Station, UK. The samples were further studied by immunosorbent electron microscopy which revealed the presence of flexuous rods characteristics of potyviruses. For routine detection, penicillinase based indirect ELISA procedure using bromothymol blue and starch iodine complex as indicators, was standardized and the virus could be detected from leaves and flower samples and not from bark. The virus from these samples was tentatively diagnosed as a variant of PPV. These observation were made in the University orchard only and the status of the disease in the state and the damage it is causing is, however, yet to be ascertained. | |
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