Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus: a new virus on Vaccinium
Blueberry necrotic ring blotch disorder first appeared in Georgia (US) in 2006 on Vaccinium corymbosum (Southern highbush blueberries). The disease was then also found in North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina. Symptoms are characterized by irregular red or brown spots, sometime with green centres, which may coalesce to cover the entire leaf and lead to plant defoliation. Although, no plant mortality has been reported, severe and repeated defoliation has a negative impact on fruit yield. Recent studies have showed that the causal agent is a new virus species tentatively called Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus (BNRBV). It is also suspected that this virus could be transmitted by eriophyid mites belonging to the genus Calacarus
Sources
Burkle C, Olmstead JW, Harmon PF (2012) A potential vector of Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus and symptoms on various host genotypes. Phytopathology 102, S4.17.
Quito-Avila DF, Martin RR (2012) Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus represents a unique genus of plant RNA viruses. Phytopathology 102, S4.96.