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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #287289
Title: Dissecting the epidemiology of Blackberry yellow vein associated virus and Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus; a study on population structure, transmission, and alternative hosts

Author
item POUDEL, BINDU - University Of Arkansas
item Wintermantel, William - Bill
item SABANADZOVIC, SEAD - Mississippi State University
item TZANETAKIS, IOANNIS - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: International Conference on Graft Transmissible Diseases of Fruit Crops
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2012
Publication Date: 12/30/2012
Citation: Poudel, B., Wintermantel, W.M., Sabanadzovic, S., Tzanetakis, I.E. 2012. Dissecting the epidemiology of Blackberry yellow vein associated virus and Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus; a study on population structure, transmission, and alternative hosts. Proceedings of the International Conference on Graft Transmissible Diseases of Fruit Crops. 22(3):334-341.

Interpretive Summary: Blackberry yellow vein disease (BYVD), a disorder caused by virus complexes is the most important blackberry disease in the southern United States. Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) is the most prevalent virus in BYVD plants being detected in more than 50% of the samples exhibiting BYVD symptoms. Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus (BCRV) is another virus frequently found in BYVD plants, and in addition to blackberry, it can also infect rose and raspberry. Despite the importance of the viruses as major components of BYVD their epidemiology is grossly understudies. In this study the population diversity, transmission modes and potential alternate hosts of both viruses were studied. The population structure of BYVaV was determined after sequencing four genomic regions of 34 isolates. For BCRV, the complete RNA 3 of 30 isolates from three different hosts was evaluated. Selection pressure on five coding region of BYVaV and the coat protein and movement protein of BCRV was evaluated. Two whitefly species were tested for their ability to transmit BYVaV and seed transmission assays for BCRV were performed using three hosts. Over 25 species of plants were tested as potential alternative hosts of the viruses. BYVaV populations are fairly diverse, unlike BCRV US-isolates. The greenhouse and banded-winged whiteflies were identified as efficient vectors of BYVaV. BYVaV was graft-transmissible to rose; and if natural infection of rose is confirmed this can be of great concern to the ornamental industry. BCRV was found to naturally infect apple and was seed transmissible to the three hosts tested. The information generated in this study has also allowed for better, reliable detection protocols able to detect a wide range of virus isolates.

Technical Abstract: Blackberry yellow vein disease (BYVD), a disorder caused by virus complexes is the most important blackberry disease in the southern United States. Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) is the most prevalent virus in BYVD plants being detected in more than 50% of the samples exhibiting BYVD symptoms. Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus (BCRV) is another virus frequently found in BYVD plants, and in addition to blackberry, it can also infect rose and raspberry. Despite the importance of the viruses as major components of BYVD their epidemiology is grossly understudies. In this study the population diversity, transmission modes and potential alternate hosts of both viruses were studied. The population structure of BYVaV was determined after sequencing four genomic regions of 34 isolates. For BCRV, the complete RNA 3 of 30 isolates from three different hosts was evaluated. Selection pressure on five coding region of BYVaV and the coat protein and movement protein of BCRV was evaluated. Two whitefly species were tested for their ability to transmit BYVaV and seed transmission assays for BCRV were performed using three hosts. Over 25 species of plants were tested as potential alternative hosts of the viruses. BYVaV populations are fairly diverse, unlike BCRV US-isolates. The greenhouse and banded-winged whiteflies were identified as efficient vectors of BYVaV. BYVaV was graft-transmissible to rose; and if natural infection of rose is confirmed this can be of great concern to the ornamental industry. BCRV was found to naturally infect apple and was seed transmissible to the three hosts tested. The information generated in this study has also allowed for better, reliable detection protocols able to detect a wide range of virus isolates.