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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #248882

Title: Raspberry mosaic disease complex

Author
item MACFARLANE, S - Scottish Crop Research Institute
item TZANETAKIS, I - University Of Arkansas
item Halgren, Anne
item Martin, Robert

Submitted to: Compendium of Blackberry and Raspberry Diseases and Insects
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2010
Publication Date: 6/28/2017
Citation: Macfarlane, S.A., Tzanetakis, I.E., Halgren, A.B., Martin, R.R. 2017. Raspberry mosaic disease complex. In: Martin, R.R., Ellis, M.A., Williamson, B., Williams, R.N., editors. Compendium of Raspberry and Blackberry Diseases and Pests. 2nd edition. St. Paul, MN: APS Press. p. 75-78.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Raspberry mosaic disease (RMD) is an overarching term used to describe a range of diseases caused by various combinations of different viruses that are each transmitted by aphids. In the scientific literature RMD has been given various alternative names, including red raspberry mosaic, type b mosaic, green mottle mosaic, raspberry mosaic I, veinbanding disease and veinbanding mosaic, reflecting the range of leaf symptoms that are produced in different Rubus hosts, with different virus combinations and under different environmental conditions. In North America the disease can affect all cultivated Rubus spp., with black raspberry sustaining the most damage. RMD in Canada affected red raspberry and was found to be caused by co-infection with two viruses (BRNV and RYNV). However, recent evidence suggests that RMoV is very common there as well and is likely part of the virus complex causing the disease. In Europe, red raspberry plants affected by RMD often were found to carry BRNV, RYNV and two other viruses (RLSV and RLMV, which are now known to be strains of the same virus –see RLMV below). Wild and cultivated blackberries may be infected with any or all of the RMD component viruses but generally are considered to be tolerant of the viruses and do not exhibit disease symptoms, although yield and fruit quality effects probably do occur because of virus infection. As more molecular tools become available to identify and differentiate the viruses that occur in raspberry plantations, it is likely that the accepted definitions of what viruses cause which diseases will be modified. The current picture of RMD in North America and Europe is that at least three viruses are involved in RMD including: BRNV, a Sadwavirus; RLMV, a Closterovirus and RYNV, a Badnavirus and strains of each of these viruses occur on both continents. The RMD complex in other growing regions has not been examined in detail and which of these viruses occurs is unknown.