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Carlavirus biodiversity in selected horticultural crop plants and ornamentals
Project
Project code: JKI-EP-08-2197
Contract period: 01.01.2009
- 31.12.2013
Purpose of research: Applied research
Objective: Rather raised from seeds many ornamentals as well as horticultural crops like potato and onion are produced by vegetative propagation (tubers, bulbs, cuttings, tissue culture). Techniques for early and efficient detection of latent or asymptomatic virus infections are thus required for screening stock plants before mass amplification to avoid virus spread. These aspects were investigated in the genus Carlavirus. 21 out of 43 members carry the term 'latent' in their name. Carlaviruses are known to cause asymptomatic infections in a number of horticultural and floral host plants.
Results: Samples obtained in Germany in 2006 to 2012 included monocot host plants comprising the families Alliaceae and Convallariaceae as well as dicot host plants out of the families of Cactaceae, Ericaceae, Passifloraceae, Ranunculaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Solanaceae. Twelve different carlaviruses have been identified, for two of which no published record for Germany existed so far. In Alliaceae, Cactaceae, Ranunculaceae and Solanaceae mixed infections were frequent. Those consisted of two different carlaviruses or of carlavirus accompanied by poty- or allexi-, or potex-, or tobamo-, or cucumovirus infection. Synergy of electron microscopy and molecular biology tools were used to improve virus detection. Doing so we obtained evidence for the presence of three different isolates of Shallot latent virus in Allium sativum and for at least three Potato virus M isolates in Solanaceae, as well as could identify presence of Helleborus net necrosis virus and Blueberry scorch virus in Germany.
Section overview
Subjects
- Horticulture
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics (JKI-EP)