Blackberry chlorotic ringspot: a new virus of Rubus
Plants of blackberry (Rubus cv. ‘Bedford Giant’) showing diffuse chlorotic mottling and ringspots were observed during field trials carried out near the Scottish Crop Research Institute (GB). A new ilarvirus, tentatively called Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus (BCRV) was isolated from these symptomatic plants. BCRV could be transmitted to several Rubus species and cultivars by grafting but most grafted plants remained symptomless (except Rubus cv. ‘Himalaya Giant’ and the hybrid Tayberry). Following this initial description in the United Kingdom, BCRV was also detected in the USA, on roses showing symptoms of rose rosette (Tzanetakis et al., 2006) and on germplasm material of Rubus occidentalis cvs. ‘Lowden’ and ‘New Logan’ (Tzanetakis et al., 2007). The host range, geographical distribution and impact of BCRV on cultivated plants remain to be further studied.
Sources
Jones AT, McGavin WJ, Gepp V, Zimmerman MT, Scott SW (2006) Purification and properties of blackberry chlorotic ringspot, a new virus species in subgroup 1 of the genus Ilarvirus found naturally infecting blackberry in the UK. Annals of Applied Biology 149(2), 125-135.
Tzanetakis IE, Gergerich RC, Martin RR (2006) A new Ilarvirus found in rose. Plant Pathology 55(4), 568–568.
Tzanetakis IE, Postman JD, Martin RR (2007) First report of Blackberry chlorotic ringspot virus in Rubus sp. in the United States. Plant Disease 91(4), p 463.