Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208174

Title: The Incidence and Ecology of Blackberry yellow vein associated virus

Author
item SUSAIMUTHU, J - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item GERGERICH, R - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item BRAY, M - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item CLAY, K - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item CLARK, J - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item TZANETAKIS, I - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2007
Publication Date: 7/3/2007
Citation: Susaimuthu, J., Gergerich, R.C., Bray, M.M., Clay, K.A., Clark, J.R., Tzanetakis, I.E., Martin, R.R. 2007. The incidence and ecology of Blackberry yellow vein associated virus. Plant Disease. 91:809-813.

Interpretive Summary: Recently, blackberries in the southern and southeastern United States have exhibited symptoms of vein yellowing, decline and dieback. These symptoms have been associated with a new crinivirus named Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV). The incidence of the disease has increased in these production areas and represents a new threat to blackberry production. A survey for BYVaV in blackberry plants from wild, commercial production fields and nurseries was carried out. In addition, trap plants were used to identify when the virus was being transmitted in the field and insect traps were used to identify potential vectors present in blackberry fields. Various raspberry and blackberry plants were graft inoculated in an effort to identify a reliable indicator plant. Virus detection using RT-PCR revealed the presence of this virus in some nursery stocks, in production fields in North Carolina, South Carolina and Arkansas and in wild blackberries in Arkansas. Based on the sequence of the virus, it was predicted that it should be transmitted by whiteflies. In controlled experiments, two species of whiteflies that were identified in blackberry fields failed to transmit BYVaV. All of the potential indicator plants that were tested remained symptomless when infected with BYVaV. Symptomatic blackberry plants were infected with BYVaV and at least one other virus, thus, it appears that the disease symptoms are caused by virus complexes where at least one of the viruses is BYVaV.

Technical Abstract: Symptoms of vein yellowing and bush decline in blackberry were attributed to infection by a novel crinivirus named Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV). The disease is an emerging threat to blackberry production as it can cause substantial yield loss. The objective of this study was to identify the source and means of spread of BYVaV. A survey of blackberry plants for BYVaV from wild, cultivated, and nursery stocks was conducted. Insect traps and healthy blackberry sentinel plants were placed among symptomatic plants in a production field throughout two growing seasons to monitor the occurrence of potential vectors and virus spread. Virus indicator plants were grafted with BYVaV-infected blackberry as this virus was latent in some blackberry cultivars. RT-PCR detection revealed the occurrence of BYVaV in blackberry nurseries in the United States, in production fields in Arkansas, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and in wild blackberry populations in Arkansas. Whiteflies (Trialeurodes packardii and T. ruborum), potential vectors of BYVaV, were observed on sticky traps placed in blackberry fields and were found colonizing blackberry plants; however, transmission studies failed to produce whitefly-mediated transmission of BYVaV. Graft-inoculated virus indicator plants failed to express symptoms when infected with BYVaV. Further understanding of the disease etiology is needed to devise viable management strategies for this disease.