Viruses of arugula

Abstract

Arugula is a leafy vegetable crop belonging to the Brassicaceae family, currently grown in several agricultural areas around the world. The two main species that are mostly grown as lettuce crops are Eruca sativa ("cultivated" rocket) and Diplotaxis tenuifolia ("wild" rocket). It is distributed all over the world and is usually consumed fresh (leaves) due to its typical sharp spicy taste. It has a variety of medicinal and therapeutic properties. It is grown in open fields or more often in greenhouses. Along with the increase in the demand for arugula and the intensification of production, an increasing occurrence of diseases and pests has been recorded. Viral diseases are a limiting factor for successful production and a potential threat to the failure of crops. Therefore, this research provides an overview of the literature of viruses registered so far on arugula. As viruses are a serious problem in plant production, and in arugula it is insufficiently researched, it is necessary to further elaborate on this topic.