DISTRIBUTION OF APPLE MOSAIC ILARVIRUS (APMV) IN TURKEY

Pome fruits, traditionally grown in Turkey, are becoming one of the main local fruit crops. Apple mosaic virus is one of the well known and most widespread virus infections for apples. For this reason, this study was conducted to determine the presence of Apple mosaic ilarvirus (ApMV) (Family Bromoviridae, genus Ilarvirus) in different regions of Turkey. Apple, pear and quince leaf and shoot samples exhibiting various types of virus-like symptoms were collected from different parts from randomly selected orchards of the main pome fruit growing areas from Central Anatolia, Black sea, Mediterranean and Marmara regions of Turkey during early spring and autumn in 2005. Polyclonal antibodies were used to detect to presence of ApMV in the plant samples by serological assays (DAS-ELISA procedures). DAS-ELISA test showed that 29,75% of total samples were infected by ApMV. ApMV is the most common virus of pome fruits.