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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208164
Title: Virus Diseases of Blackberry and Raspberries

Author
item Martin, Robert
item GERGERICH, R - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item SUSAIMUTHU, J - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item TZANETAKIS, I - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2007
Publication Date: 4/28/2007
Citation: Martin, R.R., Gergerich, R.C., Susaimuthu, J., Tzanetakis, I.E. 2007. Virus diseases of blackberry and raspberries. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two viruses have been associated with Blackberry yellow vein disease (BYVD). One of these viruses, Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) is a member of the genus Crinivirus and has been identified in blackberries exhibiting the BYVD in several states in the southeastern United States. If consistent with known criniviruses, BYVaV should be transmitted by whiteflies, though this has not yet been demonstrated. A second virus, designated as Blackberry virus Y (BVY), is a member of the family Potyviridae, but lacks the signature DAG motif and therefore it likely will not be transmitted by aphids. It lacks several common features of the family and contains an alkB domain suggesting it may represent a new genus in this virus family. The vector of this virus has not yet been determined, but eriophyid mites and aphids are being tested. In some cultivars of blackberry, these viruses in do not cause symptoms in single infections. When both viruses are present, dramatic leaf symptoms and plant decline are observed. BVY has not been identified in all symptomatic plants suggesting there may be other viruses that in combination with BYVaV are able to cause BYVD. In red raspberry, the possibility of a virus complex being responsible for severe crumbly fruit rather than single infections with Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) is being investigated. Two viruses have been identified from red raspberry that exhibited a chlorotic leaf flecking and were free of RBDV. Based on partial sequence analysis these viruses should be aphid transmitted. One of the viruses belongs to the genus Closterovirus and has been identified in raspberry material from Washington and Scotland. It has also been found in several isolates of raspberry leaf spot and raspberry leaf mottle from Scotland suggesting it may be a component of the raspberry mosaic complex. Recent work with developing control strategies for Tomato ringspot virus and RBDV will also be presented.