Citrus hosts several viruses and viroids. This study
aimed to assess the phytosanitary status of citrus trees in the
northern part of the West Bank in Palestine in terms of
infection with viruses such as Citrus tristeza virus (CTV),
Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), Citrus leaf blotch virus
(CLBV), and Citrus variegation virus (CVV). A total of
1,000 samples were collected and tested for CTV using
Direct Tissue Blot Immunoassay (DTBIA), while a
representative subset (10–25%) of these samples was
processed for CPsV, CVV and CLBV using DAS-ELISA
E-41 Arab J. Pl. Prot. Vol. 43, Special Issue, November 2025
and RT-PCR. Additionally, Mexican lime and citron were
used as indicator plants in bioassays on 10% of the samples
to detect the presence of any graft-transmissible virus. As a
result, these indicator plants exhibited vein corking, leaf
discoloration, and vein clearing, which are characteristic
symptoms of CTV infection. CTV was the only virus
detected in the tested samples, in all districts surveyed. The
incidence of infection varied by district; for instance, CTV
infection reached 23.5% in the Qalqiliya region, followed by
the Nablus districts (12%), while Tulkarm exhibited a lower
incidence (6%). Overall, the CTV incidence reached 10.9%,
with the highest infections observed on Pomelo, Clementine,
and Valencia orange cultivars; meanwhile, no infections
were detected in grapefruits and Fransawi oranges.
Interestingly, the infection rate in nurseries was recorded as
high as 4%. The variation in incidence may be attributed to
differences in citrus varieties and agricultural practices
followed. According to the findings of this study, CTV
continues to pose a threat to the citrus production in
Palestine. This study further reinforces the effectiveness of
the DTBIA for CTV surveillance in large-scale monitoring
programs, emphasizing its practical application in routine
nursery testing. This method proved effective and practical
for large-scale detection, supporting its strong
recommendation for nurseries monitoring programs. The
dissemination and distribution of healthy propagating
materials to farmers and the sanitary selection of suitable
rootstock are crucial steps in significantly improving citrus
health, and therefore highly recommended. Future research
should focus on the genetic diversity of CTV strains in
Palestine and the potential implementation of certified virusfree
planting programs.

العنوان

Proceedings of the 14th Arab Congress of Plant Protection (ACPP-2025), 3–7 November 2025, Algeria. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 43(Special Issue), E-40-41

الناشر

Arab Journal of Plant Protection

بلد الناشر

لبنان

Indexing

Scopus

معامل التأثير

None

نوع المنشور

Both (Printed and Online)

المجلد

43

السنة

2025

الصفحات

E40-41