The Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC), caused by the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, is a serious threat to the Brazilian citriculture, being, actually, one of the mains diseases to the citrus in Brazil. The objective of this work was evaluate citrus cultivars, introduced according to the susceptibility or resistance to CVC, in field conditions. The research was carried in Bebedouro city - São Paulo state - Brazil. The genotypes studied were cultivars of mandarines and hybrids (tangors and tangelos), introduced from the germplasm collections of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Corsica. The work was composed by 56 portions, with 3 plants, being one of them inoculated, using the approach graft method, with infected plants. Were evaluated the symptoms of the disease by visual observation and PCR test, specific to Xylella fastidiosa. The genotypes that had positive results to the PCR test, but did not presented symptoms, and the ones that were negative to the PCR, have great possibilities to be used in genetic improvement programs, aiming resistance and/or tolerance to the disease.
Citrus reticulata Blanco; inoculation; improvement; resistance; varieties; Xylella fastidiosa
