EVIDENCE OF MIXED VIRUS INFECTIONS CAUSING SEVERE SYMPTOMS AND DDECLINE OF BLACKBERRIES

Blackberry yellow vein disease has emerged in blackberries in the last five years in the southern and southeastern United States causing significant losses and in some cases, plant death. Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) has been associated with the disease but since asymptomatic plants infected with the BYVaV have been discovered it was necessary to investigate what caused the observed symptomatology associated with the disease.
The complete nucleotide sequence of an isolate from a symptomatic plant has been obtained in addition to partial sequence of three isolates from plants showing different degrees of disease severity.
No significant sequence variability was observed and the possibility of additional agents involved in disease development was examined using laboratory techniques and field observations.
Three additional viruses have been isolated from symptomatic plants. Detection tests for the novel viruses were developed.
The most common of the novel viruses was a potyvirus, designated as Blackberry virus Y, a virus distantly related to members of the genus Potyvirus that is lacking key motifs involved in aphid transmissibility.
None of the three viruses were found consistently in symptomatic plants, leaving BYVaV the only consistent component of the disease.

IX International Rubus and Ribes Symposium

I.E. Tzanetakis, M. Bray, J. Susaimuthu, R.C. Gergerich, R.R. Martin

yellow vein disease, Crinivirus, Potyvirus

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.777.58