Investigation of virus diseases in peanut and soybean production areas in Hatay province

This study was conducted to investigate the viruses and phytoplasma diseases that are a problem in peanut and soybean in Antakya-Serinyol, Erzin, Kırıkhan, Kumlu and Reyhanlı districts of Hatay province. Sampling was made from a total of 173 plants (94 peanut and 65 soybean and 14 weed samples) showing symptoms in the fields and tested by DAS-ELISA method for presence of viruses. The samples collected from peanut fields were tested for presence of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV), peanut stunt virus (PSV), tomato spotted wild virus (TSWV), tomato yellow fruit ring virus (TYFRV). The samples obtained from soybean areas were tested for the presence of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), soybean mosaic virus (SMV), tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV), tobaccco ringspot virus (TRSV) and potato Y virus (PVY). The results of the DAS-ELISA for peanut samples gave positive reaction for infections of CMV (5) and TSWV (6). The soybean samples were obtained to be infected with AMV (2 samples), CMV (2 samples), SMV (4 samples), TRSV (3 samples) and PVY (2 samples). Suspicious plants for phytoplasma infections were examined by molecular methods (nested-PCR: nPCR) and totally 13 samples were given positive results for presence of phytoplasmas (4 samples of peanut, 8 samples of soybean, 1 weed species: Chenopodium album). PVY and phytoplasma infections in Chenopodium album samples were detected for the first time in soybean production areas in Hatay province. Insect samples were collected from peanut fields in order to determine potential vectors by using sweep net and vacuum insect net (D-VAC). Empoasca spp. were determined to be the most abundant species among the Cicadellidae samples collected from groundnut fields. Insect samples were prepared as containing 5 individuls in each sample and analyzed by nPCR method. As a result of nPCR analysis, Empoasca spp. samples collected from Kırıkhan district were found positive for phytoplasma at a rate of 5/10. In this study it was determined for the first time that Empoasca species could be a potential vector for the transmission of phytoplasma diseases in peanut fields in Hatay.