Establishment of Economically Important Viruses on Watermelons by Elisa Method in Bulgaria

The reaction of widespread watermelon varieties to economically important viral pathogens was studied by ELISA method in Bulgaria. It was established that Crimson Suit, Sugar Baby and Mramorna 17 were susceptible to Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV), Papaya Ringspot Virus watermelon strain W - (PRSV-W), Watermelon Mosaic Virus 2(WMV2), Squash Mosaic Virus(SqMV) and Cucumber Mosaic Virus(CMV). ZYMV reached the highest viral concentration in watermelon plants infected by artificial inoculation. PRSV-W reached the highest viral concentration in natural infection of commercial crops from Crimson Suit. This virus was followed by WMV2, SqMV, ZYMV, CMV, or followed by SqMV, ZYMV, CMV, WMV2. For the first time in Bulgaria, it was established, that SqMV was a pathogen for watermelon, because it appeared in high viral concentration in plants. The grown watermelon varieties were not immune or tolerant to CMV, because CMV reached high viral concentration in some plants from these varieties.