Seed transmissibility of viruses in winter squash landraces collected from the Black Sea region of Turkey

The presence of seed-borne viruses in winter squash landraces in the Black Sea region of Turkey were detected. The seed samples of landraces were tested by ELISA for Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Squash mosaic virus (SqMV), Tobacco ring spot virus (TRSV), and Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV). Based on the ELISA results, 11.3% of the samples were infected with the viruses; ELISA, CMV was found at the rate of 5.1% in the winter squash samples, while incidence of ZYMV was determined as 6.2%. Moreover, none of the plants germinated from seeds were found to be infected with SqMV, TRSV, and CGMMV. This is for the first time that seed-borne viruses of winter squash landraces have been identified in the Black Sea region of Turkey.