The New Report of Artichoke latent virus (ArLV) From Globe Artichoke in Turkey

n recent years, some of artichoke growers in Aegean region of Turkey stated that globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek) plants in their fields have showed virus-like symptoms. So, in order to identify viruses infecting globe artichoke, a survey was conducted between April 2011 and March 2012 and totally 50 globe artichoke samples were collected from the production areas in the mentioned region from which was provided more than 30 % of total globe artichoke production in Turkey. The samples were analyzed by DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR and biological indexing methods for Artichoke latent virus (ArLV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Broad bean wilt virus (BBWV) and Raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV). TMV, TSWV, BBWV and RpRSV were not detected in all of samples tested. In RT-PCR, amplicons of the expected size (ca. 282 bp) were obtained from 9 out of 35 symptomatic plant samples bearing virus-like symptoms. The amplified and sequenced 9 PCR products (Accession No: KC622053) showed 86 % nucleotide sequence identity with “Artichoke latent virus mRNA unknown function (GenBank Accession No:X87255.1)” isolate in BlastN analysis. Moreover, when mechanically inoculated with the sap from plant samples, that were positive for ArLV in RT-PCR, selected test plants produced the typical symptoms of ArLV infection. As to the result of the literature review on the topic in question, this is the latest report of natural ArLV infection from globe artichoke in Turkey.