First Report of Apricot pseudo-chlorotic leaf spot virus Infecting Peach Trees in South Korea

In May 2016, 24 peach samples showing abnormal and virus like symptoms were collected in one of major peach producing area, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. We performed RT-PCR diagnosis for confirmation of viral infection. The diagnostic targets are 17 species of viruses and viroids that quarantine and high risk pathogens when it occur. As a results, seven species of viruses and viroids, including an unreported (Apricot pseudo-chlorotic leaf spot virus, APCLSV) and a quarantine (Peach latent mosaic viroid, PLMVd) species in Korea, were detected. For the sequence analysis of unreported virus, APCLSV, the sequence of coat protein gene were amplified and cloned. The sequence showed 97% nucleotide identity with other APCLSV isolates and compared with other seven species of reported Trichoviruses. This virus was classified as APCLSV based on the sequence and phylogenetic analysis. This isolate was named Yeongcheon. As patterns of APCLSV occurrence, all samples that APCLSV detected were co-infected with Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV). As properties of ACLSV, APCLSV has high possibility of wide spread disease in fruit tree farms in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to do related researches, such as infection route and influence of disease in commercial orchards.