Vol. 65 No. 1 (2026)
Articles

Preserving autochthonous Albanian plum germplasm: Plum pox virus-free status and in vitro sanitation perspectives for the ‘Tropojane’ cultivar

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  • Magdalena CARA,
  • Serafina Serena AMOIA,
  • Valbona SOTA,
  • Jordan MERKURI,
  • Orges CARA,
  • Klevis HOXHALLARI ,
  • Elektra PAPAKOSTA ,
  • Efigjeni KONGJIKA,
  • Angelantonio MINAFRA
Magdalena CARA
Agricultural University of Tirana, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Rruga Paisi Vodica 1025, Tirana, Albania; NanoBalkan, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Serafina Serena AMOIA
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)—National Research Council, Via Amendola 122/D, Bari 70126, Italy
Valbona SOTA
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Albania, Bul. Zog. 1, 1001, Tirana, Albania; Research Center of Biotechnology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000, Tirana, Albania
Jordan MERKURI
NanoBalkan, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Orges CARA
NanoBalkan, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000 Tirana, Albania; International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM of Bari), Valenzano, Italy
Klevis HOXHALLARI
Agricultural University of Tirana, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Rruga Paisi Vodica 1025, Tirana, Albania; NanoBalkan, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000 Tirana, Albania
Elektra PAPAKOSTA
Agricultural Technology Transfer Center, Shamogjin, Vlora, Albania
Efigjeni KONGJIKA
Research Center of Biotechnology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Murat Toptani Avenue, 1000, Tirana, Albania
Angelantonio MINAFRA
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)—National Research Council, Via Amendola 122/D, Bari 70126, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/phyto-17066
Categories

Published 2026-05-14

Keywords

  • Plum pox virus,
  • Sharka disease,
  • virus detection,
  • in vitro sanitation,
  • meristem tip culture

How to Cite

[1]
M. CARA, “Preserving autochthonous Albanian plum germplasm: Plum pox virus-free status and in vitro sanitation perspectives for the ‘Tropojane’ cultivar”, Phytopathol. Mediterr., vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 93–105, May 2026.

Copyright (c) 2026 Magdalena CARA, Serafina Serena AMOIA, Valbona SOTA, Jordan MERKURI, Orges CARA, Klevis HOXHALLARI , Elektra PAPAKOSTA , Efigjeni KONGJIKA, Angelantonio MINAFRA

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

The stone fruit industry, particularly plum (Prunus domestica) production, is important to the Albanian economy. The Prunus domestica ‘Tropojane’ predominates due to its high and stable productivity, adaptability, and superior organoleptic qualities. Assessing phytosanitary status of this fruit plant is important, to ensure sustainable production and preserve genetic resources. During the spring seasons of 2022, 2023 and 2024, 129 samples of ‘Tropojane’ plum were collected across the regions of Tropoja, Kukës, Has, Puka, Durrës, Paskuqan, and Kamëz of Albania. All samples were tested by ELISA, PCR, and qPCR to detect plum pox virus (PPV), the most destructive virus infecting plum, and to screen for additional stone fruit viruses including Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV), prune dwarf virus (PDV), apple mosaic virus (ApMV), and apple chlorotic leafspot virus (ACLSV). ELISA tests demonstrated that PPV was present in 35.5% of the samples, whereas RT-PCR and RT-qPCR assays detected PPV in 45.6% of the samples, confirming greater sensitivity of the PCR assays for virus detection. No infections with other assessed stone fruit viruses were detected. PPV identity was confirmed by sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses showed that the Albanian isolates clustered within the Rec strain group, also indicating their possible regional origin. Meristem culture was employed as a sanitation strategy for PPV-infected explants. Differences in regeneration capacity among plum populations were observed, yet stable in vitro cultures were established in all cases, and molecular diagnostics confirmed that regenerated plantlets were PPV-free. In vitro shoots were successfully subcultured, rooted, and acclimatized. These results highlight the need to conserve native plum germplasm, and enforce the use of certified planting material, to ensure the long-term preservation of autochthonous cultivars, while preventing further spread of PPV.

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