Distribution of some aphid-borne viruses infecting sugar beet in Turkey

Surveys were conducted in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) growing areas, which cover 52% of Turkey’s sugar beet production. Sugar beet leaves showing virus-like symptoms such as chlorosis, mosaic and chlorotic spots, were collected from 291 different fields located in ten different provinces in northern and central parts of Turkey in 2011. Beet leaf samples were tested by ELISA for Beet yellowing virus (BYV), Beet mosaic virus (BtMV) and beet-related Poleroviruses [Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV) and Beet chlorosis virus (BChV)]. Based on the ELISA tests, 58.4% of the samples collected from sugar beet fields gave positive reactions for the viruses tested. None of the samples were found to be infected in Kastamonu and Krkkale provinces. Beet-related Poleroviruses (BMYV and BChV) were the most common viruses obtained from 38.5% of the samples followed by BYV and BtMV with 29.6% and 12.7% respectively. The incidences of single virus infection were 11.3% for BYV and 5.5% for BtMV. Mixed virus infections occurred in 20.3% of the sugar beet samples. Out of four groups of symptoms, chlorosis was the most common symptom (72.9%) followed by mosaic (15.3%), chlorosis+mosaic (7.1%) and chlorotic spots (4.7%) in the surveyed areas.