Isolated finding of Blueberry scorch virus in the Netherlands
The Dutch NPPO recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first record of Blueberry scorch virus (Carlavirus, BBScV – EPPO A2 List) in the Netherlands. During a survey carried out in 2008 at 47 commercial companies growing Vaccinium species, 1 plant of V. corymbosum in 1 company was found infected by BBScV (symptomatology, RT-PCR, sequence analysis). The origin of this infection could not be determined. The infected plant (V. corymbosum cv. Dixi) had been planted in 1987 and although cultivar ‘Dixi’ originates from the USA, it has been cultivated in the Netherlands for more than 40 years. Because most Vaccinium plants had lost their leaves at the time of detection (autumn), further testing will be carried out at the beginning of the 2009 growing season to determine the possible source and extent of infection. The infected plant has been destroyed. This is the first time that BBScV is reported from the Netherlands. In Europe, it can be recalled that this virus had been observed in Italy in 2004 (EPPO RS 2005/101).
The pest status of Blueberry scorch virus in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Transient, incidental finding, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands, 2008-11. http://www.minlnv.nl/pd