IDENTIFICATION OF A SECOND CLOSTEROVIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH LITTLE CHERRY DISEASE, LITTLE CHERRY VIRUS –2

In 1997 the compete sequence of a closterovirus associated with little cherry disease (LCD), Little cherry virus (LChV) was determined (Jelkmann et al., 1997). This virus could be associated with some, but not all trees with LCD indicating that another virus was also involved.
We report here the partial characterization of a second closterovirus associated with LCD, Little cherry virus –2 (LChV-2) and have renamed LChV, Little cherry virus –1 (LChV-1). LChV-2 is a new closterovirus with similarities to Grapevine leafroll viruses –1 and –3, but only distantly related to LChV-1. Based on limited sequence comparisons, LChV-2 is the same virus previously identified to be associated with LCD in Canada (Eastwell, 1996). In RT-PCR detection assays using specific oligonucleotide primers to either LChV-1 or LChV-2, 27 of 28 isolates of LCD originating from Europe and North America tested positive.
These results would further confirm the association of LChV-2 with LCD. One isolate however, tested negative to both LChV-1 and –2 indicating that further work is required to confirm the causal agent(s) of LCD.

XVIII International Symposium on Virus and Virus-like Diseases of Temperate Fruit Crops – Top Fruit Diseases

M.E. Rott, W. Jelkmann

little cherry, LChV-2

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.550.27