Mass and Sanitary Selection of Superior Clones of Keshmeshi Sefid Grapevine Cultivar in Orumieh Region

To improve commercial grapevine cultivars, it is necessary to apply such methods that by cultivation of a certain number of vines in a certain area, higher yield could be harvested. To achieve such a goal, healthy stocks with resistant to pests and diseases, high fructification and high quality of vines are needed. All these properties can be obtained successfully through clonal selection. Viticulture in Iran is threatened traditionally by propagation and distribution of vines very likely infected with bacteria and viruses. To select virus free and superior clones of grapevine cv. Keshmeshi Sefid, this study was performed in vineyards of Orumieh region, in northwest of Iran. Based on qualitative and quantitative traits, several superior and stable accessions were selected during three years at mass selection phase. DAS-ELISA by poly clonal antibodies was used for detection of clones infected with Grapevine fan leaf virus: GFLV, Arabis mosaic virus: ArMV and Grapevine leaf roll virus: GLRV at sanitary selection phase. Based on the results, all 27 superior clones were free of ArMV and GLRV, while nine clones namely Gol102, Beh-1, Beh-2, Lash1-2, Kah-5, K11, Gol1-3, Kaz1-1 and clone 59 were infected with GFLV indicating the prevanlence of GFLV in Orumieh vineyards. More investigation is underway to introduce the superior clones with high yield quality and quantity and resistant to viral diseases.