Temperate fruits-II Tree fruits (apricot, peach, plum)

Prunus species are affected by many viruses, some of them causing important economic losses by affecting the yield and quality of fruits. The main viruses and the linked diseases of stone fruit species (plum, cherry, peach, apricot, and almond) are briefly described in this chapter related to the economic significance of the virus, disease symptoms, host range, ways of transmission, detection techniques, taxonomic position, geographic distribution, epidemiology, yield losses, and control/management of the disease. Sharka, caused by plum pox virus, is by far the most devastating viral disease of the genus Prunus, which mainly affects the plum, apricot, and peach. The two most common viruses of sweet and sour cherries are Prune dwarf virus and Prunus necrotic ring spot virus. Besides them, direct or indirect damages to stone fruits can be caused by other viruses, such as apple chlorotic leaf spot virus, little cherry virus-1 and -2, apple mosaic virus, and many others, which affect the potential of varieties to get fruits on expected yields and quality.