Characterization of plum pox virus isolates from Slovakia

Plum pox virus (PPV) isolates from stone-fruit trees (plums, myrobalans, ap ricots and peaches) from orchards and gardens were characterized. To charac terize their biological properties, several PPV isolates were transmitted b y chip budding to GF 305 seedlings and mechanically to selected herbaceous test plants. The isolates differed in severity of infection, host range and symptomatology. A subgroup differentiation of 43 isolates from 22 localiti es of western and middle Slovakia was accomplished using reverse transcript ion-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunocapture RT-PCR (IC-RT-PCR) an d restriction analysis. These assays confirmed the presence of isolates bel onging to PPV-M and PPV-D subgroups. PPV-M and PPV-D isolates were almost e qually represented in tested samples. Tests of subgroup variability of PPV isolates from infected tolerant plum cultivars showed great predominance of PPV-M isolates.