Research into the serological response to Plum pox virus infection in certain indigenous peach genotypes

Sharka disease, caused by the Plum pox virus (PPV), is considered the most significant viral disease affecting stone fruit species, having a major impact on fruit yield and quality. Due to the severity of symptoms in susceptible varieties and the high efficiency of virus transmission via aphids, this disease represents one of the greatest threats to global fruit growing. The presence of PPV in a region significantly affects the production, propagation and marketing of planting material, as the virus is subject to national and international phytosanitary regulations concerning quarantine pests. Consequently, the occurrence of the disease necessitates the implementation of strict measures for monitoring, certification, containing the spread and, in some cases, the eradication of infected plants. The economic impact of Sharka disease is determined by both direct and indirect losses. Direct losses are caused by reduced production, a decline in fruit quality, the removal of infected trees, the implementation of quarantine measures, and the payment of compensation for destroyed plant material. Added to these are the indirect costs generated by plant health surveillance programmes, official inspections, diagnostic methods, the certification of planting material, and restrictions imposed on domestic and international trade in plants and horticultural products. Globally, the economic impact of the disease is considerable; estimates suggest that, since the 1970s, the costs associated with managing and controlling Sharka have exceeded 10 billion euros, which highlights the importance of developing effective strategies for prevention, diagnosis and genetic improvement to breed PPV-resistant Prunus varieties. It is therefore important to identify new genotypes within the genus Prunus that exhibit some degree of resistance to PPV. The present study aimed to investigate native peach genotypes that did not exhibit symptoms of PPV under field conditions. It was thus found that the varieties Armonie, Ștef, Dundi and Prunus davidiana exhibited symptoms of PPV following serological and molecular assessments.