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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302104

Title: Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)-Virus Diseases

Author
item Martin, Robert
item PSCHEIDT, JAY - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Control Handbook
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2014
Publication Date: 6/8/2014
Citation: Martin, R.R., Pscheidt, J. 2014. Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)-Virus Diseases. Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook. Available: http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/node/2805/print.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: At least six viruses have been found in highbush blueberry plantings in the Pacific Northwest: Blueberry mosaic virus, Blueberry red ringspot virus, Blueberry scorch virus, Blueberry shock virus, Tobacco ringspot virus, and Tomato ringspot virus. Six other virus and virus-like diseases of highbush blueberry occur in the Eastern States but either have not been reported or are uncommon in the Pacific Northwest: Blueberry leaf mottle virus, Peach rosette mosaic virus, Blueberry shoestring virus, Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus, Blueberry virus A, and the Stunt Phytoplasma. A premature fruit-drop symptom was observed in several blueberry fields of ‘Bluecrop’ in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia around 2004. The plants flower normally, though the young leaves and flowers have a transient red coloration that is absent in healthy plants. The fruit develops to 3 to 5 mm in diameter and then aborts so that affected bushes have virtually no fruit at harvest. The incidence within fields increases year-to-year suggesting that a pathogen is involved. Recently, late summer of 2013, a virus has been associated with this disease, but only a limited number of plants have been tested at this time. Symptomatic plants from 3 fields in B.C. and northern Washington have tested positive for the virus and asymptomatic plants have tested negative. At this time it is not known if other cultivars of blueberry are symptomless, resistant or simply not infected with this virus.