Detection and characterization by DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR analysis of important prunus viruses lon almond trees growing in Adiyaman province of Turkey

There are viral diseases causing economic losses on almond trees whose economic importance is increasing by year in the world and also in our country. Among these viruses, apple mosaic virus (ApMV), prunus necrotic ring spot virus (PNRSV), prune dwarf virus (PDV), plum pox virus (PPV) and apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) are the most common viruses. Although commercial almond cultivation is a new product for Adıyaman province, the number of enclosed orchards is increasing day by day and its production is also encouraged. Within the scope of this study, the presence of ApMV, ACLSV, PDV, PNRSV and PPV on almond orchards in Adıyaman province were investigated by Double Antibody Sandwich-Enzyme Linked Iimmuno Sorbent Assay (DAS-ELISA), Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and molecular characterization of some isolates has been made. As a result of the DAS-ELISA tests performed to determine the presence of these 5 viruses seen in almond trees, 34 samples were found to be infected with PDV and ACLSV, ApMV, PNRSV and PPV were never found in tested samples. In 110 almond samples tested with RT-PCR analysis, only the expected length (756 bp) DNA fragment of PDV was replicated in 34 samples, while ApMV, ACLSV, PNRSV and PPV were not detected in the tested samples. The infection rate of PDV in tested almond samples was found to be 30.90%. PDV isolates amplified by RT-PCR method were directly sequenced and nucleotide and amino acid sequences they encoded were analyzed, PDV isolates obtained from Adıyaman with each other and with different countries isolates deposited in Gen Bank were compared and their similarity rates and phylogenetic relationships were revealed. When the NJ (Neighbor Joining) dendogram of PDV isolates was examined, it was determined that Adıyaman PDV almond isolates were very similar to each other and included in the same group in the phylogenetic tree, clustered in a separate group from other PDV isolates registered in the gene bank. PDV was detected for the first time in almond plantations in Adıyaman province by this study. Key Words: Adıyaman, almond, DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR, sequencing, virus