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Incidence and Distribution of Iris yellow spot virus on Onion in Serbia

October 2009 , Volume 93 , Number  10
Pages  976 - 982

Aleksandra Bulajić and Ivana Djekić, Institute of Plant Protection, Department of Phytopathology, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia; Jelena Jović and Slobodan Krnjajić, Department of Plant Pests, Institute for Plant Protection and Environment, Banatska 33, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia; and Ana Vučurović and Branka Krstić, Institute of Plant Protection, Department of Phytopathology, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia



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Accepted for publication 22 May 2009.
ABSTRACT

In a survey to determine the presence and distribution of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) in greenhouse ornamentals and onion field crops in 14 districts of Serbia as well as on imported ornamental plants, 1,574 samples were collected and analyzed by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). IYSV was not detected in nearly 1,200 plant samples collected from 39 genera of ornamentals grown in greenhouses in Serbia or imported from other countries during 2005 to 2007. The virus was detected in samples from an onion seed crop in the Sirig locality (South Bačka District) that showed symptoms resembling those caused by IYSV and in samples without IYSV-like symptoms from an onion bulb crop in the Obrenovac locality (City of Belgrade District). Mechanical transmission of IYSV isolates was difficult, and only the isolate 605-SRB could infect four plant species, but not in all replications. No virus transmission could be demonstrated in 5,000 tested seeds originating from IYSV-infected onion crops. For further confirmation of IYSV, the nucleotide sequence of its nucleocapsid (NC) gene was obtained by reverse transcription--polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in symptomatic onion samples as well as in symptomless leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. Four previously developed primers were tested to determine their suitability for routine detection of Serbian IYSV isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed clustering of isolates 605-SRB and 622-SRB from the onion seed crop and isolate 283-SRB from the onion bulb crop into two distant clades. The analysis indicated that Serbian isolates of IYSV do not share a recent common ancestor and that they represent two distinct lineages of IYSV in Serbia. Considering that onion is one of the most important and traditionally grown vegetable crops in Serbia, IYSV represents a potentially devastating pathogen in this country.



© 2009 The American Phytopathological Society