VIRUS DISEASES OF CUCURBITS IN KARAMAN PROVINCE

Viral diseases are very destructive especially on squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) which is grown for seeds in Karaman province. In this study, it’s aimed to determine the virus infections in major cucurbit growing areas of Karaman province. Totally 135 plant samples which showed the most common virus symptoms like mosaic, curling, blistering, mottling, distortion, shoestring, stunting and vine decline were collected from squash, zucchini, melon, watermelon, cucumber and pumpkin plants during 2009 and 2010 years. The viruses were identified by DAS-ELISA. The results showed that 83 % of plant samples were infected with Zucchini yellow mosaic Potyvirus (ZYMV), Watermelon mosaic Potyvirus-2 (WMV-2), Cucumber mosaic Cucumovirus (CMV), Papaya ringspot Potyvirus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W) and Squash mosaic Comovirus (SqMV). ZYMV was the most prevalent virus in the infected cucurbit plants with the ratio of 53.4 % and occurred in squash, pumpkin, watermelon, melon and cucumber samples. WMV-2 was detected in squash (50 %), melon (43.1 %), cucumber (12.1 %) and watermelon (5.2 %). Also mixed infections were observed in squash, melon and cucumber more frequently than others. Cucumber green mottle mosaic Tobamovirus (CGMMV) was not present in the research area.