Study of some phytopathogenic viruses in Saperavi and Rkatsiteli vineyards in Kakheti region

Author: Natia Tsenguashvili
Keywords: vine, virus, viral disease, ELIZA, PCR
Annotation:

Vine is an important part of Georgian culture. Wine production in Georgia started in the Neolithic era. Wine production is of great economic importance to the country. Vine yield and product quality directly depend on the health of the cultivated plant, as phytopathogens acting on the vine negatively affect the product yield and its quality. Particular attention is paid to the harmful effects of viral agents on vines. To date, more than 70 viruses are known to infect vine crops globally. Therefore, it is important to study the spread of vine viral agents in vineyards cultivated in Georgia. Therefore, the aim of the study was to study the spread of viral phytopathogens of vines in Kakheti region. During the study period, 400 vine samples were collected and analyzed to detect various viral agents (GFLV, GFKV, GVA, ArMV). In this study, we used serological (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-ELISA) and molecular biology-based methods (polymerase chain reaction-PCR). Widespread Georgian vine varieties such as Rkatsiteli and Saperavi were selected as the object of research. According to the serological study, out of 400 samples examined, 82 (20.5%) samples were infected with 75 (18.8%) samples positive for GFkV virus and 7 (1.8%) samples for GFLV virus. In 2 (0.5%) samples, mixed infection was found when the study vine plants were infected with both GFkV and GFLV virus. In the case of Saperavi red grape variety, 40 samples (20%) were positive for GFkV virus and 6 samples (3%) were positive for GFLV. Mixed infection was detected in 2 samples (1%). In the case of the white grape variety Rkatsiteli, 35 samples (17.5%) were positive for GFkV virus and 1 sample (0.5%) for GFLV. No mixed infection was observed during the study of Rkatsiteli variety. According to the study, GFkV virus infection exceeded the percentage of GFLV virus-infected vine varieties in both vine plants. It should be noted that in the case of Saperavi variety, infection with research viruses exceeded the cases of Rkatsiteli variety infection. No ArMV and GVA viruses were detected in the study samples.