ISHS Acta Horticulturae 386: XVI International Symposium on Fruit Tree Virus diseases
DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA-LIKE ORGANISMS (MLOS) IN APRICOT BY FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY (D.A.P.I.) IN THE SOUTH OF ITALY |
| Authors: | M. Pastore, F. Pennone, C. Marcone, G. Cristinzio, A. Ragozzino |
| Abstract:
Observations began two years ago on apricot collection of 253 cultivars grafted on Mirabolan rootstock, located in an experimental field of the Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura di Roma, Section of Caserta (South Italy), showing symptoms of severe decline. The affected trees showed symptoms of yellowing, upward rolling of leaves, sparse foliage and, in some cases, broom witches shoots were also noted. During the winter some flowers were on affected trees. In spring, infected trees produced leaves before flowers due to a premature break of the leaf buds. Later in the season, the leaves had a reddish colour and a stiff texture, accompained by abnormally enlarged veins. The affected leaves dropped prematurely and some trees showed severe die-back. Roots lack feeder rootlets which, when present, show a brushlike apparence mostly of necrotic elements. The DAPI test carried out on several samples was positive. MLOS were usally detectable as single particles and their number was always higher in petioles, in midribs and in young twigs than in several - year old branches, in trunks and in roots. No fluorescence due to MLOs was found in nonsymptomatic apricot plants and in healthy control seedlings of the same cultivars | |
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