Investigation and molecular characterization of some virus diseases in cherry production areas in Turkey

Our country, which is a pioneer in the cultivation of cherry plants (Prunus avium L.) in the world, is also among the countries which cherry exports. Within this thesis, viral factors that cause infections in cherry plants, which are very important in terms of fruit growing and cause quality and yield loss in cherry fruits, were investigated. In this context, a total of 129 symptomatic and asymptomatic plant materials, including 116 cherries and 13 sour cherries, were collected from Afyonkarahisar, Eskişehir, Bilecik, Tokat, Ankara and Çankırı provinces, mainly Denizli and Isparta, during the vegetation periods between 2019-2021. RT-PCR studies were performed by species specific primers for the presence of Prune dwarf virus (PDV), Prunus necrotig ringspot virus (PNRSV), Little cherry virus-1 (LChV-1), Little cherry virus-2 (LChV-2), Cherry green ring mottle virus (CGRMV), Cherry necrotic rusty mottle virus (CNRMV), Cherry rusty mottle-associated virus (CRMaV) agents. According to the molecular test results, LChV-1 was detected in 15 samples, CGRMV in 3 samples and PNRSV in 1 samples. In 3 of these samples, mixed infection of PDV and LChV-1 was determined. PCR products of all samples with positive results were used for sequencing studies. The similarity checks of the nucleotide sequenced samples were made by BLAST analysis. In this study, sequences obtained from the RNA3 region of PDV showed %99.62-91.54 nucleotide homology with the closely related genbank isolate. Similarly, the fragmented LChV-1 replicase gene region showed %96.69-87.97 nt similarity with closely related genbank isolates. The fragmented CGMRV CP gene region obtained from this study showed %91.64-96.22 nt similarity with other isolates. Finally, the relevant fragment of the fragmented RNA 4 region of a single PNRSV isolate obtained within the scope of this study showed %99.67 sequence identity with the Australian isolate with accession number KY883335. Accession numbers were obtained after the relevant gene region sequences of the isolates were uploaded to NCBI. Phylogenetic analyzes were carried out to make molecular characterizations of the isolates. PNRSV isolates from China and Canada, CGRMV isolates from America, PDV isolates from Turkey, Poland and Canada, LChV-1 isolates from Turkey and Australia were clustered.