Plum pox
| Plum pox | |
|---|---|
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| Genome of PPV with proteolytic cleavage sites | |
| Virus classification | |
| Group: | Group IV ((+)ssRNA) |
| Family: | Potyviridae |
| Genus: | Potyvirus |
| Species: | Plum pox virus |
Plum pox, also known as sharka, is the most devastating viral disease of stone fruit from the genus Prunus. The disease is caused by the plum pox virus (PPV), and the different strains may infect a variety of stone fruit species including peaches, apricots, plums, nectarine, almonds, and sweet and tart cherries. Wild and ornamental species of Prunus may also become infected by some strains of the virus.
The virus is transmitted by aphids and by the transfer of infected plant material to new locations. Plum pox poses no danger to consumers, but it can ruin the marketability of stone fruit by causing acidity and deformities. The only way to manage the disease is to destroy all infected trees, which can cause significant economic losses.
The disease symptoms were first seen in Bulgaria around 1916-1917, thus the name of sharka - from Bulgarian шарка, meaning pox. In 1933, the virus origin was described by Dimitar Atanasov. The disease developed in several European countries.
The plum pox virus is a linear single stranded RNA virus. There are six strains of plum pox virus: PPV-D, PPV-M, PPV-EA, PPV-C, PPV-Rec (Recombinant), and PPV-W. PPV-M isolates are more aggressive in peach, are aphid vectored more efficiently, and spread more rapidly in an orchard. PPV-M has been reported to be seed transmitted, the other PPV strains are known not be transmitted through seeds. Both PPV strains M and D infest peach, plum, and apricot. PPV-C infects sweet and tart cherry naturally and is the only strain known to do so, it has infected other Prunus hosts experimentally.
Several species of aphid transmit the virus including the plum-thistle aphid (Brachycaudus cardui), the plum leaf curl aphid (Brachycaudus helichrysi) and the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae). Winged aphids can transmit plum pox within an orchard, and over short distances (200–300 meters) to trees in nearby orchards. Unlike some other viruses, like barley yellow dwarf virus, PPV is not persistent in the aphid and is transferred from the mouthparts of the aphid between plants. Long distance spread usually occurs as a result of the movement of infected nursery stock or propagative materials. Once a plant is infected the virus is systemic and occurs in the cytoplasm of cells from all parts of the plant.
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