Characterization of Apple mosaic virus isolates detected in hazelnut in Poland

Abstract

Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) infects over 65 plants species of Rosaceae family including hazelnut. The virus causes chlorotic or yellow patterns, rings and mosaic symptoms on the leaves and losses in yield of nuts. The occurrence and genetic diversity of ApMV were evaluated in 14 plantations of hazelnut in Poland. A total of 13 of 125 hazelnut samples tested positive for ApMV using ELISA and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Several primer pairs were used for RT-PCR to amplify the coat protein (CP) and movement protein (MP) genes as well as complete RNA-3 of the ApMV. Genetic diversity was observed in full-length sequences of RNA-3 of the ApMV isolates from hazelnut. The similarity of nucleotide sequence of the CP and MP genes of the isolates was 90.3-99.9, and 87-99.7 %, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ApMV isolates from hazelnut grouped separately from the virus strains found in other plant species.