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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #226450

Title: Virus complexes: Unraveling the Mess and Implications in Disease Management

Author
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2008
Publication Date: 6/15/2008
Citation: Martin, R.R. 2008. Virus complexes: Unraveling the Mess and Implications in Disease Management. Phytopathology. S-184.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Recent work with virus diseases of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries have shown that, in most cases, diseased plants in the field are infected with more than one virus and that many 'severe' strains of viruses in these crops are actually due to mixed infections. In these complexes, there are usually several viruses that are critical for disease development and there may be several that are not important in the disease. It is necessary to identify the viruses in the complex that are critical for the disease to develop. At least 13 viruses have been identified in blackberry plants exhibiting yellow vein symptoms and dieback. However, in any one area there is only a subset of these viruses present and a single virus, Blackberry yellow vein associated virus, is always present. However, BYVaV is symptomless in single infections, as are many of the other viruses in the complex. The same is true for strawberries showing symptoms of decline, different complexes in different areas and most viruses symptomless in single infections. The key to control is to identify the viruses in the complex that contribute to the disease in the field and then determine which is the easiest to manage in that region. Virus management requires knowing the vector for each of the important viruses, something about the biology and ecology of the vector and the sources of inoculum for each of the viruses. Vector management is key for control of viruses in perennial crops. The application of molecular detection methods to the production of virus-free plants and to virus management in nurseries and fruit production fields will be discussed.