Economic significance of viroids in ornamental crops (Book Chapter)

Authors: VERHOEVEN, J - Plant Protection Research Institute; Hammond, Rosemarie; STANCANELLI, GIUSEPPE - European Food Safety Authority

Submitted to: Viroids and Plant Viral Satellites
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2016
Publication Date: 8/9/2017
Citation: Verhoeven, J., Hammond, R., Stancanelli, G. 2017. Economic significance of viroids in ornamental crops (Book Chapter). Viroids and Plant Viral Satellites. p. 27-38.

Interpretive Summary: Viroids are small nucleic acids molecules that cause disease in plants. Although most viroid infections have been reported in food crops, where they cause severe symptoms and economically important diseases, with few exceptions, viroid infections in ornamental plants have only recently been discovered as most are symptomless. With the development of new detection technologies an increasing number of ornamental crops have been found to harbor viroids that can serve as a source of infection for food crops. This chapter discusses the potential economic and trade impact of viroids in ornamentals and will be of interest to plant pathologists, action agencies, and the ornamental and vegetable crop industries.

Technical Abstract: The economic significance of viroids in ornamental crops is less obvious than in food crops. Most serious direct impact is known for chrysanthemum stunt viroid in chrysanthemum and, to a lesser extent, for chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid in the same crop. However, the majority of viroid infections in ornamental crops is not accompanied by diseases. Nonetheless, even asymptomatic infections may result in indirect impact related to trade effects. Finally, infected ornamental plants may be economically significant by acting as a source of viroid inoculum for other crops suffering severe losses when infected by viroids.