The Virology Laboratory involves comprehensive studies of plant diseases caused by viruses and viroids including determining their distribution, carrying out epidemiological studies that determine the relationships between the disease agent, host, and vector, and carrying out studies to reduce product losses caused by important viral diseases.
The laboratory develops, adapts, validates, and utilizes diagnostic assays including biological, serological, and molecular methods for the detection of plant viruses and viroids. The assay techniques are used routinely for the reliable and highly sensitive diagnosis of plant viruses/viroids and seeds infections.
In addition to the projects funded by TAGEM, external projects such as EU-EUPHRESCO projects and TUBITAK have also been conducted at the virology department.
Some of the completed and ongoing research projects in recent years are given below:
- Obtaining Preliminary Production Material from New Hazelnut Varieties by Meristem Culture
- Domestic RNA isolation kit production.
- Sharka Disease in Bolu Province (Center, Seben, Göynük, Gerede, Mudurnu, Mengen, Yeniçağa, Dörtdivan, and Kıbrıscık Districts).
- Sharka Disease-Free Areas Project in Zonguldak Province Center, Çaycuma, Gökçebey, Devrek, Alaplı, Kdz Ereğli, Kilimli and Kozlu Districts.
- Ağlasun District of Burdur Province (Central Districts and Villages) for Sharka Disease (Plum pox virus - PPV) Free Area Declaration.
- Inventory and validation of quality control procedures for the extraction of nucleic acid used for diagnosis.
- Investigation of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) on Greenhouse Tomato and Pepper Crops in Central Anatolia and the Black Sea Region of Turkey, and Development of Molecular Diagnostic Protocols.
- Afyonkarahisar Province (Center, Sandıklı, Shepherds) Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) Survey/Free Area Declaration.
- Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)- Free Field Project in Zonguldak Province Center, Çaycuma, Gökçebey, Devrek, Alaplı, Kdz Ereğli, and Kozlu Districts.
- Establishment of Phytosanitary Microorganism Culture Collection and Preparation of Catalogue.
- Detection, Prevalence, Molecular Characterization of Tomato spotted wilt virus (Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, TSWV) in Central Anatolia Region Tomato, Pepper, Lettuce Growing Areas and Determination of TSWV resistance of some Tomato Genetic Resources by Molecular Markers.
- Research on Forming Viruses-Free Polycross Parcels in Alfalfa.
- Sharka Virus Disease (Plum Pox Virus) on the Establishment of resistant Gene Resources and Genetic Diversity of Populations with PPV isolates collection.
