New and Emerging Viruses of Blueberry and Cranberry

Abstract

Blueberry and cranberry are fruit crops native to North America and they are well known for containing bioactive compounds that can benefit human health. Cultivation is expanding within North America and other parts of the world raising concern regarding distribution of existing viruses as well as the appearance of new viruses. Many of the known viruses of these crops are latent or asymptomatic in at least some cultivars. Diagnosis and detection procedures are often non-existent or unreliable. Whereas new viruses can move into cultivated fields from the wild, there is also the threat that devastating viruses can move into native stands of Vaccinium spp. or other native plants from cultivated fields. The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of blueberry and cranberry viruses, focusing not only on those that are new but also those that are emerging as serious threats for production in North America and around the world.

Population structure of blueberry mosaic associated virus: Evidence of reassortment in geographically distinct isolates

“…Blueberry mosaic has been reported from several regions around the world (Martin et al, 2012). Diseased plants display mild to brilliant mosaic and mottling on the foliage with colors of yellow, yellow-green and sometimes pink (Varney, 1957) as well as delayed fruit ripening, reduced yield and fruit quality (Ramsdell and Stretch, 1987).…”

Pathogen-Tested Planting Material

“…With woody plants that involve graft transmission assays for detection of viruses, grafted plants may need to be observed for two or more years for symptoms before the plant is determined to be free of the pathogen. These potentially long intervals for detection using biological indexing has prompted most quarantine facilities to adopt laboratory-based testing where possible (Rowhani et al, 2005;Martin et al, 2012;, including: electron microscopy, ELISA, immunospecific electron microscopy, nucleic-acid-based techniques such as PCR or reverse transcription -PCR (RT-PCR) combined with gel electrophoresis and sequencing of the any amplicons obtained, double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) detection; and mechanical transmission to herbaceous hosts (Reed and Foster, 2011;Miller et al, 2009). However, with widely used tests currently available, there is still a need for biological indexing onto woody indicators for some exotic pathogens.…”

First record of Aphidius ericaphidis (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) in Europe: North American hitchhiker or overlooked Holarctic citizen?

“…Symptoms caused by BlScV differ depending on the cultivar of blueberry. In sensitive cultivars, infection can lead to complete necrosis (blighting) of flowers and young leaves and twig dieback followed by severe yield loss, while tolerant cultivars can show little or no visible symptoms of infection (Bristow et al 2000, Martin et al 2012.…”