Detection and molecular characterization of two little cherry viruses infecting stone fruits in Serbia

Little cherry virus 1 (LChV1) and little cherry virus 2 (LChV2) are causative agents of the Little Cherry Disease. The disease causes a strong reduction of fruit size in sensitive cultivars and in severe cases, a total loss of its crop. Beside cherries, little cherry viruses can infect other cultivated stone fruit species, such as plum, apricot, peach, and almond. To investigate the presence of these viruses in Serbian orchards, a large-scale survey was conducted from 2017 to 2020. A number of 202 stone fruit samples (sweet cherry, sour cherry, apricot, plum, and peach) were collected and analyzed for the presence of LChV1 and LChV2. LChV1 was confirmed in 18 analyzed samples (8.9%) in 10 sweet cherries, five apricots, and three plums. LChV2 was detected in only one sweet cherry sample (0.5%). A phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Serbian LChV1 isolates from plums and sweet cherries belong to the G5 phylogenetic group. LChV1 isolates from apricot belong to the G3 and G5 phylogenetic groups.