Possible correlations between the characteristics of Potato leafroll virus isolates occurring in different geographical regions in Tunisia

Biological and molecular characterization supported by transmission efficiency, symptom expression and Open Reading Frame 0 (ORF0) nucleotide sequence analysis were carried out to assess nine isolates of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) collected from three Tunisian geographic and bioclimatic zones. Plant-to-plant transmission by Tunisian Myzus persicae aphid clones showed high transmission efficiency for all isolates tested. Symptom expression analysis on a Physalis floridana plant test distinguished viral isolates as very severe, severe and mild. The ORF0 sequences of the Tunisian PLRV isolates showed an assignment to two aggregates when compared with GenBank PLRV sequences. A significant correlation between symptom severity and ORF0 nucleotide sequence or between symptom severity and geographic origins of the PLRV isolates was established. However, the transmission efficiency and the ORF0 sequence were not affected by the bioclimatic origin. No significant correlation between transmission and symptom or between transmission and the ORF0 sequence was detected.