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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180887

Title: FIRST REPORT OF RASPBERRY BUSHY DWARF VIRUS IN OHIO.

Author
item ELLIS, M - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item Martin, Robert
item WRIGHT, S - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2005
Publication Date: 5/11/2005
Citation: Ellis, M.A., Martin, R.R., Wright, S.R. 2005. First report of raspberry bushy dwarf virus in Ohio. Plant Health Progress. PHP-2005-0510-01-HN.

Interpretive Summary: Decline symptoms have been observed in black raspberry in Ohio that resembled symptoms reported on this crop in Oregon. The lack of plant vigor, small fruit, chlorosis and premature senescence of fruiting canes had been attributed to winter injury. Once it was realized similar symptoms had been observed in Oregon where winter injury is not a problem plants were assayed for the presence of viruses as potential causal agent(s) of the decline. Twenty-three plantings (5 red raspberry and 18 black raspberry) were sampled in the survey. Samples were tested for the presence of Raspberry bushy dwarf (RBDV), Tomato ringspot (ToRSV) and Tobacco ringspot (TRSV) viruses by ELISA, with each sample tested twice for each virus. Of the 115 samples tested (5 per field) in the survey RBDV, ToRSV and TRSV were detected in 21 (~18%), 5 (~4%) and 2 (~2%) samples, respectively. This is the first report of RBDV in Ohio.

Technical Abstract: Over the past 10 years, several commercial producers of black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) in Ohio have experienced a decline in plant vigor and survival in their plantings. Symptoms include small, dry and mishapened berries, foliar chlorosis and premature dying of fruiting canes before or during harvest. This decline generally has been attributed to winter injury, and yield losses of up to 100% have been observed in some plantings. In 2004, a survey of several black and red raspberry plantings in Ohio was conducted to determine if viruses were present. Eighteen black raspberry and five red raspberry commercial plantings were sampled. Plantings ranged in size from one to five acres. Most randomly selected leaves were asymptomatic, and most plantings sampled appeared normal or generally healthy. The purpose of this survey was to determine if viruses were present, and no attempts were made to associate virus detection with symptoms in the field. Samples were tested by ELISA for the presence of Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV), Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) and Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV). Of the 115 samples taken in the survey RBDV, ToRSV and TRSV were detected in 21 (~18%), 5 (~4%) and 2 (~2%), respectively. This is the first report of RBDV in Ohio.