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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Charleston, South Carolina » Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #203528
Title: Characterization, Diagnosis & Management of Plant Viruses, Vol. 2. Horticultural Crops

Author
item RAO, GOVIND - SUGARCANE RES ST, INDIA
item MYRTA, ARBEN - INSTITUTO AGRON MED ITALY
item Ling, Kai-Shu

Submitted to: Complete Book
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2006
Publication Date: 12/11/2007
Citation: Rao, G.P., Myrta, A., Ling, K. (eds). Characterization, Diagnosis & Management of Plant Viruses, Vol. 2. Horticultural Crops. Studium press, Houston, Texas, USA. 302 pp. 2008 (Edited Book)

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Characterization of viruses in fruit tree crops is complicated due to the fact that many cultivated fruit crops are maintained through vegetative propagation and mixed infection of several viruses in a fruit tree is a common phenomenon. Viruses have undoubtedly infected fruit trees and cause diseases for centuries before they are described and proven to be the causal agents. In recent years, a number of economically important viruses on fruit trees have been characterized and their genome sequence information is available in public GenBank databases. Advancements in serological and molecular technologies have greatly improved the speed and accuracy of virus identification. The viruses are distributed inadvertently by man on a massive scale because of vegetative propagation by rooting cuttings, budding and grafting in which infected mother plants perpetuate the viruses. In addition, several of them are also vectored in nature by animal pests, making them more difficult to be controlled in the field. Once infected with a virus, the perennial woody trees cannot be cured. Their control is based on prevention, i.e. sanitary selection and/or sanitation of primary stocks, planting of healthy propagating materials and eradication of infected sources. One of the most successful management practices for these devastating viral diseases in fruit trees is to plant virus-free certified planting materials. Therefore reliable and sensitive virus detection methods are critical in selecting virus-free materials for propagation. The publication of Characterization and Diagnosis of Plant Viruses: Vol. 2. Horticultural Crops is timely in view of the rapid research developments in the related field. The information on various topics is at advanced as well as comprehensive level, and provides thought provoking discussions and conclusions towards solving some of the basic and applied problems in plant virus diagnosis and management.