PPV

Sharka

First described on plums in Bulgaria in 1915.

Plum pox is most commonly spread over relatively short distances by aphids (i.e., plant lice), tiny plantfeeding insects that transmit the disease while feeding. Aphids serve as vectors for the virus' spread by sucking sap from PPV-infected plants and transferring the virus to uninfected plants.

PPV has spread throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East (Egypt and Syria), India, and Chile.

Plum Pox Symptoms: While yellow or brown blotches or rings on the leaves or fruit of Prunus plants are notable characteristics of plum pox, there are a number of other symptoms that may appear, including:  severely deformed and bumpy fruit; leaf distortion and drop; and deformed, discoloured seeds.  Because infected Prunus trees exhibit such a wide range of leaf, flower, and fruit symptoms, educating survey crews, diagnosticians, growers, and nurserymen about the broad range of PPV symptoms is crucial to detecting plum pox.