First report VT isolate of citrus tristeza virus in veracruz, Mexico

In the State of Veracruz, Mexico, citric fruits are among the most important fruits due to their high economic value in national and international markets. However, in the last months, combined symptoms of defoliation, yellowing and terminal-branches death have been observed; these cause gradual deterioration and low yield in the main citric species; these symptoms have been associated to Citrus Tristeza virus (CTV) like VT, and coincide with those reported in the literature: small fruits adhered to the plant, defoliation, and sudden death. By using the RT-PCR technique, plants positive to the VT, considered as severe, were detected. Incidence of positive samples ranged from 7% in Alamo to 43% in Tihuatlan. The fact that this VT isolate was found in seven of the eight studied locations explains the death rate observed in northern Veracruz.