Archivio Journal of Plant Pathology

Abstract:

An account is given of the presence and incidence of Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 1 (FLMaV-1) and Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2) in Lebanese fig orchards, as determined by RT-PCR assays. About two-thirds of 102 fig trees tested were infected by at least one virus, with mixed infections in ca. 9% of the samples. FLMaV-1 prevailed (47% infection) especially in cv. Aswad (80% infection) and in Mount Lebanon (95% infection). FLMaV-2 was detected in 29.4% of the trees, with a prevalence in those coming from North Bekaa (57.5% infection). A fragment of the HSP70 gene of four FLMaV-1 and eight FLMaV-2 isolates were sequenced and aligned with the sequences of the homologous genes of the same viruses from Genbank. The comparative analysis showed low levels of variability among both FLMaV-1 (1-3%) and FLMaV-2 (3-9%). isolates.