Searching of Citrus Blight diseases possibility in the eastern Mediterranean region

In this study, surveys have been done to investigate the presence of Citrus Blight disease and diagnosis of the disease in different locations and different citrus orchards which are more than 20 years old in The Eastern Mediterranean Region. Trunks of trees showing CB-like symptoms have been water injected by syringe within 60 seconds and samples from their fibrious roots have been collected for molecular analysis. The surveys have been done in 23 different citrus orchards in Adana-Balcalı, Adana-Karataş, Adana-Havutlu, Misis-Yakapınarı-Abdioğlu, Kozan-Çukurköprü, Tarsus-Yenice, Mersin-Dikilitaş, Mersin-Iğdır and Mersin-Ataş Rafineri during 2006-2008. One hundred and ninty eight trees have been water injected on their trunks within 60 seconds and water uptake by the trunk has been calculated as ml per second. Based on water injection test, 0.0-0.3 ml of water has been uptaken by 81, 0.5-1.5 ml of water has been uptaken by 76, over 0.3 ml of water has been uptaken by 12, and over 1.5 ml of water has been taken by 29 trees within one second. It has been concluded that 81 trees out of 198 have been found suspicious for CB based on water uptake test. Among these trees, 45 trees have uptaken 0.0-0.3 ml of water in one second and these trees have been studied for RT-PCR for p12 gene which is spesific for CB associated protein p12. Thirty eight trees out of forty five gave positive result for the 396 bp of p12 ORF gene amplification by RT-PCR.