Comprehensive Survey of Common Potato Viruses in Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey: New Isolates and Phylogenetic Insights

Abstract Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.) are a vital crop in Turkey, contributing significantly to the country’s economy. However, they are susceptible to various viral infections, causing substantial yield losses if left unmanaged. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive survey of economically significant viruses affecting potatoes in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, including the identification of new isolates and the inference of their phylogenetic relationships. A total of 1130 fresh leaf samples, including asymptomatic and symptomatic plant samples, were tested using the multiplex RT-PCR (m-RT-PCR) method to determine the prevalence of five viral pathogens. The test results revealed the presence of four viral pathogens, with an overall infection incidence of 37.08%. PVY was found in 35% of the samples, PVS in 8.5%, PVX in 1.8%, and PLRV in 1%. However, PVA was not detected. In addition, 74 of the 98 samples tested were positive for PVY + PVS, 13 for PVY + PVX, 2 for PVY + PLRV, 8 for PVY + PVS + PVX, and 1 for PVY + PVS + PLRV. From each sample that tested positive, two isolates were selected, and the complete coat protein (CP) gene regions of these isolates were cloned and sequenced. The sequences of the new potato virus isolates were deposited in the GenBank. Nucleic acid sequence comparisons revealed a consensus of over 99% among all available isolates and those from other regions of the world. However, this similarity is not specific to any particular host or region. In support of the similarities in nucleic acid, phylogenetic analyses also provided information on the evolutionary relatedness of these isolates from various origins and hosts. This finding suggests that the genetic makeup of these isolates is highly conserved across different populations and environments. This study, conducted in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, is the first comprehensive report on the presence and molecular phylogeny of four viral pathogens of economic importance in potato crops.