Citrus tristeza virus survey and the citrus nursery program in French Polynesia
1999
Wong, Maurice | Baraer, Jean-Jacques | Vernière, Christian | Aubert, Bernard
Introduction. The status of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) was assessed in French Polynesia (FP) in 1995 and 1996. Updated information is presented in this paper together with proposals for nursery operations adapted to local conditions. Materials and methods. More than 2,800 field diagnostics were carried out on citrus trees of the five archipelagos of FP. Concurrently DTBIA tests were obtained from 142 grapefruit, 279 lime and 269 orange trees to detect possible symptomless carriers of CTV. Citrus tristeza virus survey results. Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Huahine, Tahaa, Bora Bora, Maupiti are infested by the CTV. The aphid Toxoptera citricidus, the most efficient vector of the virus, is spread all over these islands, except in Bora Bora which is aphid free. The six islands of the Marquises archipelago are CTV-free, but were found to host Aphis spiraecola. The five islands of the Australes archipelago were found to be tristeza free, although A. gossypii was observed in Rimatara and Tubuai. The Ruamotu archipelago is aphid and CTV-free. The regional citrus nursery program. The objectives of the nursery program in FP are : to produce citrus plants adapted to each regional conditions; to preserve the phytosanitary status of each island. Two CTV-free foundations have been established with virus-free budwoods, one in Ua Huka (Northern Marquises islands) and another in Rurutu (Australes archipelago). They allow agronomic evaluations in dry or more temperate tropical conditions and provide budwoods for the island nurseries in the Marquises. Production of elite plants will be certified. (Résumé d'auteur)
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