Tomato (Solanum spp.) is the second most-consumed vegetable after potato and grown all over the world. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) was first identified in 2014 on tomato plants, since then it has been reported in many countries. It is a significant threat to tomato production. This work aimed to identify the disease resistance source(s). To achieve this aim, a total of 44 tomato materials including 28 accessions of eight wild species, two accessions of Solanum arcanum Peralta, S. pennellii Correll, and S. sitiens I.M. Johnst., seven accessions of S. chilense (Dunal) Reiche, five accessions of S. pimpinellifolium L., four accessions of S. habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner, three accessions of S. peruvianum L., one accession of S. chmielewskii (C.M. Rick et al.) D.M. Spooner et al. and S. huaylasense Peralta, 5 cultivated tomatoes (S. lycopersicum L.) and 11 interspecific F₁ hybrids derived from S. habrochaites and S. pennellii were tested with ToBRFV isolates by using the biological testing method. Mechanical inoculation method was used for biological testing. ToBRFV was inoculated to 10 plants with 2-3 true leaves two replicates for each genotype. As a result, S. pimpinellifolium (LA1651), S. penellii (LA0716), and S. chilense (LA4117A, LA2747) were found tolerant to ToBRFV with the lowest disease severity index (DSI) with 19.6%, 28.3% and 35.0%, respectively. Also, molecular genetic analysis of the plant material by using molecular markers revealed that there was no interaction between other virus resistance genes (Tm-2 ² and Tm-1) and ToBRFV resistance. These wild tomato species identified in the present study are valuable genetic resources to develop new resistance cultivars for ToBRFV resistance in tomato breeding programs.

Powdery mildews (PM) are common and severe pathogen groups that threaten plants, and PM resistance is complex and polygenic in cucumbers. Previously mlo-based resistance was reported in various plants, including cucumber, with generated loss-of CsaMLO function mutants. However, mlo-based resistance in cucumber is also complex and involves additional mechanisms such as hypersensitive response (HR) and papillae formation. For this reason, we focused on determining the mlo-based powdery mildew resistance mechanism in cucumber. CRISPR/Cas9 was used in the present study to generate loss-of-function mutants for CsaMLO1, CsaMLO8, and CsaMLO11 of PM susceptible ADR27 cucumber inbred lines and CsaMLO mutants were obtained and validated. Trypan Blue and DAB staining were performed to detect Podosphaera xanthii germination/penetration rates and accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Our results indicate that PM-susceptibility associated CsaMLOs in cucumber are negative regulators in different defense mechanisms against powdery mildew at early and late stages of infection. Further, the experiment results indicated that CsaMLO8 mutation-based resistance was associated with the pre-invasive response, while CsaMLO1 and CsaMLO11 could be negative regulators in the post-invasive defense response in cucumber against P. xanthii. Although the loss-of CsaMLO8 function confers the highest penetration resistance, CsaMLO1 and CsaMLO11 double mutations could be potential candidates for HR-based resistance against PM pathogen in cucumber. These results highlighted the crucial role of CRISPR/Cas9 to develop PM resistant cucumber cultivars, possessing strong pre-invasive defense with CsaMLO8 or post-invasive with CsaMLO1/CsaMLO11 mutations.

This study was conducted in stone fruit orchards in five provinces of the East Mediterranean Region of Turkey between the years of 2009-2011. The aim of the study was to determine the potential aphid vectors of the quarantine pathogen PPV (plum pox virus, family Potyviridae) that causes serious yield losses. During the surveys, 542 orchard/nurseries were sampled and 6 aphid species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) [ Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini,1860), B. helichrysi (Kaltenbach, 1843), B. cardui (Linnaeus, 1758), Hyalopterus pruni (Geoffroy, 1762), Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) and M.cerasi (Fabricius, 1775)] from stone fruit trees and 4 aphid species [Aphis craccivora (Koch, 1854), A. fabae Scopoli 1763, A. gossypii Glover 1877, A. nasturtii Kaltenbach 1843)] from weeds that were known as the efficient vectors of PPV were detected in the stone fruit orchards. Stone fruit samples (flower, leaf, fruit), weed samples and aphid samples were tested by DAS-ELISA to determine the presence of PPV. PPV infected samples that resulted uncertain from DAS-ELISA were processed to conventional RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) to finalize the decision of PPV presence. A total of 8 orchards were resulted as PPV-infected with both analyzing methods in the region. Three of these orchards were infected with aphids as well. B.cardui collected from the PPV-infected orchard in Hatay-Samandag were also run to analyse for the presence of PPV and resulted virus positive.

The tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a formidable tobamovirus, poses a significant threat to tomato production globally. This comprehensive study is dedicated to establishing an integrated control strategy for ToBRFV, encompassing the entire tomato cultivation process from seed to harvest. Initial investigations revealed a 0.8% seed transmission rate of ToBRFV, with viral presence detected in endosperms but not in seed embryos. Employing a multifaceted approach, infected seeds underwent a meticulous disinfection process. Gradual heating in a rotating thermal machine from 20 °C to 72 °C for 3 days resulted in a remarkable 0.3% contamination rate, rendering the virus non-infectious. Furthermore, ToBRFV-infected seeds underwent UV light treatment at 254 nm for 30 min, resulting in a 50% reduction in contamination rates. Chemical disinfectants, including 1% Tsunami 100 (comprising 30–60% acetic acid, 15.2% peroxyacetic acid, and 11.2% hydrogen peroxide) and 1% Biocon A (a combination of potassium peroxymonosulfate with buffer and organic acid), exhibited notable success. This study not only unravels the intricate dynamics of ToBRFV transmission and inactivation but also underscores the efficacy of integrated control measures. The findings provide valuable insights for the sustainable management of ToBRFV, contributing to the resilience of global tomato cultivation against this viral menace.