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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » National Germplasm Resources Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #342845
Research Project: Characterizing and Detecting Pathogens to Ensure Safe Exchange of Plant Germplasm

Location: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory

Title: First report of citrus leaf blotch virus in lemon in China

Author
item CAO, MENGJI - Southwest University
item YU, YUNQI - Southwest University
item TIAN, XING - Southwest University
item YANG, FANGYUN - Southwest University
item Li, Ruhui
item ZHOU, CHNAGYONG - Southwest University

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2017
Publication Date: 5/12/2017
Citation: Cao, M., Yu, Y., Tian, X., Yang, F., Li, R., Zhou, C. 2017. First report of citrus leaf blotch virus in lemon in China. Plant Disease. doi: org/10.1094/PDIS-10-16-1500-PDN.

Interpretive Summary: Lemon is an important citrus fruit crop worldwide. A number of viruses and virus-like pathogens infect lemon, causing various diseases that reduce yields and market value of fruit. In this study, Citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV) was first detected from a lemon tree with disease symptoms by a sequencing assay. The infection was confirmed by grafting buds from the symptomatic tree onto healthy trees, and the virus was also detected as a naturally occurring infection in three tangor (a citrus hybrid) trees by a PCR assay. The results show that lemon is a host of CLBV, and this is also the first report of CLBV from citrus in China. This information is useful for the citrus industry to consider measures to prevent the spread of CLBV and to test for it in propagative material.

Technical Abstract: Citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV) is a species of genus Citrivirus in the family Betaflexiviridae. The virus infects several species of the genus Citrus spp., but has not been previously reported from Lemon [Citrus limon (L.)]. The virus was identified in a lemon tree displaying yellow vein clearing in China by high-throughput sequencing. The infection was confirmed by RT-PCR sequencing. The lemon isolate of CLBV was 98% identical in sequence to an isolate from New Zealand. The virus was graft transmitted to ‘Dweet’ tangor plants, which subsequently displayed chlorotic mottle. The virus was also detected as a naturally occurring infection in three additional tangor plants by RT-PCR. This is the first report of lemon as a host for CLBV and also the first report of CLBV infecting citrus in China.