WILD HOP (HUMULUS LUPULUS L.) IS FREE OF ANY VIROID IN CAMPANIA REGION (SOUTHERN ITALY)

Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) has been detected in several cultivated fruit trees and countries (Astruct et al., 1996; Sano, 2003). Because of the remarkable natural infections of HSVd in several stone-fruit species (e.g., plum dapple fruit) occurring in Campania, it was decided to detect it in wild hop-bushes. In fact HSVd was detected in cultivated hop only in Japan. The four year results indicate that wild-hop in Campania is to be considered viroid-free germplasm. The presence of HSVd in cultivated stone-fruits is related, in our opinion, to the a hasty management of propagation material.