PROGRESS IN APRICOT BREEDING FOR RESISTANCE TO SHARKA DISEASE (PLUM POX VIRUS, PPV) IN GREECE

Sharka disease is endemic in Greece and is causing great damage to its apricot industry. Apricot breeding for resistance to Sharka has been carried out at the Pomology Institute for two decades. A new series of 20 different families with 1480 hybrids has been obtained in the last six years. The cultivars ‘Harlayne’, ‘Orangered’, ‘Early Blush’, ‘S. Early Orange’ and ‘Sunglo’ and the new Greek selection ‘Nostos’ (‘Veecot’ x ‘Bebecou’) have been used as donors of resistance to PPV. The accessions ‘Sadunska’, ‘P252-1’, ‘K104-98’ and ‘Robada’ have been used for early ripening time, and ‘Harcot’ and ‘Bebecou’ for good fruit quality. Crosses and reciprocal crosses between two resistant parents, ‘Harlayne’ x ‘Orangered’ and ‘Sunglo’ x ‘Orangered’, have been performed in order to ensure accumulation of resistance genes in the progenies. The main Greek cv. ‘Bebecou’ has been crossed with ‘Orangered’ for the development of resistant, self-compatible, high-quality and productive selections, with adaptability to the local environmental conditions. Resistance to Sharka is the first criterion of the selection. The response of hybrids to Sharka is studied in conditions of both natural and artificial inoculation. The mode of inheritance of resistance to PPV-M has been studied.