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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #217186

Title: Blueberry mosaic

Author
item Martin, Robert
item TZANETAKIS, IOANNIS - University Of Arkansas
item RAMSDELL, D - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2008
Publication Date: 12/26/2016
Citation: Martin, R.R., Tzanetakis, I.E., Ramsdell, D.C. 2017. Blueberry mosaic. In: Polashock, J.J., Caruso, F.L., Averill, A.L., Schilder, A.C., editors. Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests. 2nd edition. St. Paul, MN: APS Press. p. 64.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Mosaic was considered a genetic disorder before its graft-transmissibility was demonstrated. No causal organism or vector has been identified. Historically, the disease has been observed in highbush blueberry plantings in Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia with very little within field spread observed. Since 2000, this disease has been observed in many blueberry growing areas around the world including, New Zealand, Europe, South Africa, Argentina and Chile and appears to be much more common in northern areas of North America, where previously it spread very little. Mosaic affects highbush cultivars Bluecrop, Pioneer, Rubel, Cabot, Concord, Earliblue, Jersey, Stanley, Toro and occasionally Vaccinium pallidum (a lowbush dryland blueberry). It has not been observed on rabbiteye blueberry. A viroid has been reported from Blueberry mosaic diseased bushes; however, recently, larger double-stranded RNA indicative of a viral infection has also been detected. Thus, the causal agent remains uncharacterized.