| Plum Pox Virus (PPV) |
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| Potyvirus |
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Plant hosts
- Major hosts: Prunus armeniaca (apricot), Prunus domestica (plum), Prunus dulcis (almond), Prunus persica (peach)
- Minor hosts: Juglans regia (walnut), Prunus avium (sweet cherry), Prunus besseyi (bessey cherry), Prunus salicina (Japanese plum), Prunus spinosa (blackthorn), Prunus tomentosa (Nanking cherry tree)
- Wild hosts: Prunus cerasifera (myrobalan plum), Prunus glandulosa (flowering almond)
To view larger image click on picture.
Image provided by Biologische Bundesanstalt fur Landung, Germany.
Transmission
The virus is spread by aphids feeding from tree to tree. It is also spread through the movement of infected budwood or nursery stock.
Symptoms
Many trees do not show symptoms for up to three years after initial infection. Symptoms can be severe on many cultivars of apricots, plum and peach trees. However, the type and severity of symptom development depends on the particular cultivar. Sweet and sour cherries recently were confirmed as natural hosts. Symptoms may appear on leaves or fruits of infected tree and are particularly evident on leaves in spring when chlorotic spots, bands or rings, vein clearing, and even leaf deformation is evident. Infected fruits show chlorotic spots or rings, and diseased plums and apricots are deformed with internal browning of the flesh and pale rings or spots on the stones. Much of the affected fruit drops prematurely 20 to 30 days before the normal maturity date, and fruit that does remain on the tree lacks flavor and is low in sugar. Symptoms, however are highly variable.
Geographic distribution
The virus is known to be in Adams County, Pennsylvania, Argentina, Chile, Europe, Michigan, Niagara County, New York, Nova Scotia, Canada, and Ontario, Canada.
Synonyms
Cultural control
- use certified virus-free planting stock
- eliminate infected trees as quickly possible
- wait three years before replanting an orchard with stone-fruit trees in areas where eradication has taken place
- reduce the populations of aphids
- use plants resistant to the virus
Virus testing
Fruit growers and nursery stock growers are encouraged to submit samples from plants suspect of harboring PPV. Samples should be submitted to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Commodity Inspection Division, Plant Health Program. Lab fees are charged to the grower. The sample collection and testing will need to be completed at the appropriate time of year, and in the right manner. To obtain further details on sample collection or the virus certification program, please contact Dr. Mohamed ("Sid") Sedegui.
Return to the plant pathogen list.
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