SURVEY OF FIG VIRUSES IN THE CANARY ISLANDS

• Published in: Journal of plant pathology Vol. 93; no. 3; pp. 737 - 739
• Main Authors: Elbeaino, T., Rodríguez, Á.M. González, Grajal-Martín, M.J., Digiaro, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: An International Journal of the Italian Phytopathological Society 01-11-2011
• Subjects: Canaries; Mites; Mosaic; Phytopathology; Plant diseases; Plants; Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; Satellite viruses; Short Communication; Viral diseases; Viruses
• ISSN: 1125-4653; 2239-7264

A survey for viruses was carried out in the main figgrowing areas of the Canary Islands in 2010. A total of 30 samples were collected and checked by RT-PCR for the presence of Fig mosaic virus (FMV), Fig leaf mottleassociated virus 1 (FLMaV-1), Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2), Fig mild mottling-associated virus (FMMaV) and Fig latent virus 1 (FLV-1) using virusspecific primers. Approximately 90% of the trees were infected by at least one virus, with mixed infections in ca. 67% of the samples. FLMaV-1 and FMV were the prevailing viruses as they were found in 53.3% and 50% of the samples, respectively. Equally significant was the infection rate of the other three viruses investigated. Mosaic symptoms were consistently observed in most FMV-infected fig trees (43%). Few trees with mosaic symptoms (17%), however, were RT-PCR negative for FMV. These trees were mix-infected with most of the other tested viruses.