Universal Journal of Plant Science Vol. 11(1), pp. 1 - 10
DOI: 10.13189/ujps.2024.110101
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Evaluation the Significance of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Prunorum' Pathogen for Apricot Cultivars

László Sándor Koncz ¹, Miklós Maitz ¹, Borbála Reichhardt ¹, Márta Ladányi ², László Palkovics ^3,4, Gergő Kovács ⁵, János Ágoston ⁴, Géza Nagy ⁵, Marietta Petróczy ^1,*
1 Department of Plant Pathology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary
² Department of Applied Statistics, Institute of Mathematics and Basic Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary
³ Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Hungary
⁴ HUN-REN-SZE PhatoPlant-Lab, Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
⁵ Food Chain Safety Office, Directorate of Plant Protection, Soil Conservation and Agri-environment, Hungary

ABSTRACT

In some apricot growing areas in Europe, Asia and Africa, 'Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum' - the agent of European Stone Fruit Yellows (ESFY) - can cause significant economic losses in the stone fruit orchards. In the present study, 'Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum' infection of three apricot cultivars was evaluated by molecular methods in Hungary. We found the pathogen to be prevalent in the studied orchard (54%). We investigated the sensitivity of the apricot cultivars to ESFY. Trees were classified into disease categories based on the symptoms, and the number of dead trees was counted separately. From these data, the disease severity index and tree destruction index were calculated, and statistical comparisons of disease incidence were performed. Damage to ESFY can be reduced by using less susceptible cultivars because chemical plant protection is only effective against the vectors. The presence and infection of phytoplasma were mostly tolerated by the cultivar 'Zebra'. The 'Flavorcot' cultivar was moderately affected by ESFY, but the 'Sweetcot' cultivar was very susceptible. 'Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum' causes significant tree mortality; 44% of the trees molecularly confirmed to be infected had died by the end of the study. 'Zebra' had the lowest tree mortality (15%), while 'Sweetcot' had the highest (65.8%). Examination of the grafts planted as replacements showed that 3.3% of the plants were infected. The spread of diseased material can represent new sources of infection in orchards.

KEYWORDS
Prunus armeniaca L., ESFY, Apoplexy, Dieback, Propagation Material, Nested-PCR

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] László Sándor Koncz , Miklós Maitz , Borbála Reichhardt , Márta Ladányi , László Palkovics , Gergő Kovács , János Ágoston , Géza Nagy , Marietta Petróczy , "Evaluation the Significance of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Prunorum' Pathogen for Apricot Cultivars," Universal Journal of Plant Science, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 1 - 10, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/ujps.2024.110101.

(b). APA Format:
László Sándor Koncz , Miklós Maitz , Borbála Reichhardt , Márta Ladányi , László Palkovics , Gergő Kovács , János Ágoston , Géza Nagy , Marietta Petróczy (2024). Evaluation the Significance of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Prunorum' Pathogen for Apricot Cultivars. Universal Journal of Plant Science, 11(1), 1 - 10. DOI: 10.13189/ujps.2024.110101.