ISHS Acta Horticulturae 730: VI International Symposium on Artichoke, Cardoon and Their Wild Relatives
VIRUS-FREE ARTICHOKE GERMPLASM: MONITORING OF ITS PHYTOSANITARY STATUS IN OPEN FIELDS |
| Authors: | M. Barba, G. Di Lernia, G. Pasquini, F. Saccardo |
| Keywords: | artichoke, virus-free, germplasm, ArLV |
| Abstract:
During the last several years a particular emphasis was made for research activities aimed at improving the quality of artichoke propagative material and stimulating the production of its germplasm, at the nursery level in accordance with the European phytosanitary regulations. To evaluate the agronomic performance of two virus-free artichoke clones produced experimentally and to assess the possibility of virus infection of plants by viruliferous insect vectors, two experimental fields were established in two different locations. About 350 virus-free plantlets for each field were transplanted at the end of September 2004 and Artichoke latent virus (ArLV) infected spreader artichoke plants were distributed at random in each experimental area. Standard agronomic practices were used. Also, to ensure the presence of vector populations, no insecticides were applied during the trials. Molecular assays were performed during the whole plant cycle to monitor the transmission and distribution of ArLV by aphids. The presence of ArLV-aphid vectors in each field was evaluated by trapping and visual inspection. Results obtained for two years of evaluation appeared to be very encouraging. Despite the fact that individuals of Aphis fabae (Scopoli) and Brachycaudus cardui (Linnaeus) were isolated from both fields, only very low percentage of healthy plants were infected with ArLV at the end of the first year. During the second year, the increasing of artichoke infection was directly related to the location of each field. No differences were observed between the different artichoke Romanesco clones tested in the open fields. The rate of infection appeared to be more correlated with the distribution of ArLV-spreader plants in the fields. | |
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